The mystery surrounding Jeffrey Epstein refuses to fade.
After the release of millions of documents tied to the convicted sex trafficker, new scrutiny has once again been cast on the circumstances of his 2019 death — and one veteran pathologist is standing firmly by his explosive claims.
”Never seen a death like this”
After initially voicing suspicion, then-Attorney General William Barr later described Jeffrey Epstein’s death in 2019 as “a perfect storm of screw-ups.”
And Dr. Michael Baden, who witnessed Epstein’s autopsy, says he had “never seen a death like this” in more than 50 years of forensic work.
Speaking to The Telegraph, Baden described the injuries to Epstein’s neck as deeply troubling — particularly the presence of three separate fractures.
“Even one fracture, we have to investigate the possibility of a homicide. Two definitely warrant a full investigation,” he said. “Findings in textbooks never see those fractures, and neither have I.”
Correctional officers said they discovered Jeffrey Epstein unresponsive in his cell around 6:30 a.m. at the Metropolitan Correctional Center, where he was being held while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. He was found hanging from the side of his bunk.
Suffered three distinct breaks
Staff members reportedly began CPR before he was rushed to NewYork-Presbyterian Lower Manhattan Hospital (formerly New York Downtown Hospital). He arrived in cardiac arrest and was pronounced dead at 6:39 a.m.
According to the official autopsy report, Epstein suffered three distinct breaks: one to the left hyoid bone, one to the thyroid cartilage on the right side, and another fracture on the left. For Baden, the severity and combination of those injuries raised immediate red flags.
At the time, New York City’s chief medical examiner, Dr. Barbara Sampson, ruled Epstein’s death a suicide by hanging. She has publicly pushed back against Baden’s interpretation, stating that fractures of the hyoid bone and cartilage can occur in both suicides and homicides.
But Epstein’s legal team sided with Baden, saying they were “not satisfied” with Dr. Sampson’s findings.
“I have not seen any evidence of further study, nothing that indicated further investigation into the cause of death,” Dr. Baden said, adding that Dr. Sampson’s verdict was just “accepted.”
Ongoing controversy
What also raised eyebrows was the speed of the ruling. Determinations of this magnitude often take months. Epstein’s came within days.
Baden was among the first to question how quickly the conclusion was reached, later telling Fox News in 2019 that the evidence appeared more consistent with homicide than suicide.
Despite the ongoing controversy, both the FBI and the Justice Department — including during Donald Trump’s administration — have maintained that Epstein died by suicide and that there is no evidence of foul play.
Yet conspiracy theories have only intensified over time.
The release of surveillance footage from the night of Epstein’s death fueled further speculation after it emerged that cameras near his cell had malfunctioned. To many skeptics, that detail suggested the possibility that someone could have entered the area undetected.
Another widely discussed clip showed a mysterious orange “flash” moving quickly up the stairwell leading toward his isolated cell. Authorities have been divided over what the image captured, with some suggesting it could have “possibly” been another inmate. Others argue the footage raises even more unanswered questions.
As a result of Epstein’s death, all charges against him were dismissed.
After the autopsy was completed, his body was initially collected by an “unidentified associate,” who was later confirmed to be his brother, Mark Epstein.
On September 5, he was laid to rest in an unmarked grave beside his parents at the IJ Morris Star of David mausoleum in Palm Beach, Florida. In an effort to prevent vandalism, his parents’ names were removed from their shared tombstone.
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