The Death of Meriwether Lewis: A Historic Crime Scene Investigation

Nearly two centuries later, mystery continues to surround Meriwether Lewis’s death—did the famous explorer commit suicide or was he murdered? Recently revealed truths and deconstructed myths are woven together in this fascinating account to form an unforgettable tale of political corruption, assassins, forged documents, and skeletal remains. New research implicating General James Wilkinson—commanding general of the U.S. Army and co-conspirator of Aaron Burr—as the assassin is thoroughly discussed, while riveting testimony from 13 leading experts in wound ballistics, forensic anthropology, suicide psychology, grave-site exhumation, and handwriting analysis offers new insight into what Lewis’s exhumed remains reveal.

James E. Starrs is the author of A Voice for the Dead and a longstanding contributor to The Scientific Sleuthing Review. He is an emeritus professor of law and a professor of forensic sciences at George Washington University as well as a distinguished fellow of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences. He has been involved in many historical investigations, including the exhumation of Jesse James' remains and the Alfred Packer cannibalism case. He lives in Springfield, Virginia. Kira Gale is the author of Lewis and Clark Road Trips. She is a cofounder of a Lewis and Clark Trail Heritage Foundation chapter and the recipient of the group's 2007 Meritorious Achievement Award. She lives in Omaha, Nebraska.