Who Killed King Tut?: Using Modern Forensics to Solve a 3,300-year-old Mystery - Softcover

King, Michael R.; Cooper, Gregory M.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1591024013 ISBN 13: 9781591024019

Publisher: Prometheus, 2006

Synopsis

The greatest archaeological find of the 20th century, and perhaps of all time, was the discovery in 1922 of the tomb of the Egyptian Pharaoh Tutankhamen. Untouched for 3,300 years, the ancient tomb, filled with spectacular treasures, raised many questions about the legendary reign of this boy king. Recently Tut has been in the news again. Not only has a traveling museum exhibit of his tomb's fascinating artifacts drawn the public's attention, but also a CT scan of his body, which provides new evidence concerning the king's fate, has received a good deal of media attention. Based on this new investigation, an Egyptian team of scientists and scholars has now publicly ruled out the possibility that Tut was murdered.In this thorough and intriguing review of all of the evidence, two law enforcement specialists in forensics and the psychology of criminal behavior dispute the conclusions reached by the Egyptian team. Applying sophisticated crime-solving techniques used in the investigation of contemporary murders, Detectives King and Cooper make a compelling case that the cause of King Tut's death was most likely murder.The detectives' investigation concentrates on Tut's inner circle of close confidants. One by one, the suspects are eliminated, due to evidence or probable cause, until in the end the detectives focus on the most likely suspect.For readers who enjoy mysteries, true crime, and history, Who Killed King Tut? is both an educational read and a real page-turner.

About this title

From the Inside Flap:

Since Howard Carter's discover of the tomb of Tutankhamen in 1922, the life and death of this Egyptian pharaoh has fascinated archaeologists, Egyptologists, and the general public. Many have devised theories to explain why the pharaoh died so young - experts say that Tut could not have been older than twenty-one. In WHO KILLED KING TUT? experienced police investigators and criminal profilers Michael R. King and Gregory M. Cooper apply their criminology background to unravel the enigma surrounding Tut's death.

From the start, the reader gets a guided tour of historical and present-day Egypt with the help of Dr. John Fletcher, a respected British Egyptologist. Beginning with the reign of Tut's father and concluding with the deaths of those closest to Tut, Fletcher depicts in detail the facets of the Eighteenth Dynasty that are vital to the author's investigation. Photographs of the tomb and excerpts from Carter's diary, which provide stunning details of the crypt, nicely complement Fletcher's history.

A brief introduction to the world of forensics serves as a starting point for Cooper and King to delve into the mystery of Tut's death, which they approach without preconceptions. They plan to go where the evidence leads them. In chapter 5, "Considering the First Cues." the authors weave together historical and forensic information to devise a probably explanation. By carefully examining each possible scenario, the authors draw a startling conclusion: the pharaoh was murdered. But who killed him? The investigation focuses on Tut's inner circle and takes detectives through Egypt, visiting the tombs of vizier Ay, General Horemheb, and treasurer Maya, all of which hold many fascinating clues. Next, an expert examination of the radiographs of Tut's skull points to murder. Did Tut die from a blow to the head? When King and Cooper reveal their prime suspect, their findings challenge long-held beliefs about the famous pharaoh.

WHO KILLED KING TUT? - complete with a colorful photo insert; a preface by noted forensic psychologist Harold Bursztajn, MD; and an introduction by crime writer Don DeNevi - sheds new light on an ancient murder mystery and will captivate Egyptology enthusiasts, crime buffs, and the history lover in all of us.

About the Author:

Michael R. King is a senior investigative analyst for Motorola. He is a former State Attorney General Chief of Staff and intelligence supervisor for the Utah Criminal Intelligence Center and Homeland Security.

Gregory M. Cooper is a manager and analyst for Motorola. He is a former Assistant Federal Security Director for Law Enforcement, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and a federal air marshal for the Transportation Security Administration.

Don DeNevi is the author, coauthor, or editor of thirty-five books, including Profilers: Leading Investigators Take You Inside the Criminal Mind and Into the Minds of Madmen: How the FBI’s Behavioral Science Unit Revolutionized Crime Investigation (both with John H. Campbell).

About this edition

• Publisher: Prometheus
• Publication date: 2006
• ISBN 10: 1591024013
• ISBN 13: 9781591024019
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 296