Forensic Flies

Episode 2: The Jigsaw Murders

In this second episode of Forensic Flies, Tessa tells the story of the 1935 “Jigsaw Murders.” A landmark case in the history of forensic science and forensic entomology. The following sources were used for today’s episode: Animalia. 2025. Calliphora vicina. https://animalia.bio/calliphora-vicina [https://animalia.bio/calliphora-vicina]. Burnell, P. 2025. Life Stories of killer doctor’s victims revealed. BBC. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cp8jy1zd80eo [https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cp8jy1zd80eo]. Goff, M.L. 2000, 2001. A Fly for the Prosecution: How Insect Evidence Helps Solve Crime. First Harvard University Press, paperback edition. Glasgow Police Museum. 2020. The Ruxton Murders – 1935. https://www.policemuseum.org.uk/crime-casebook/interesting-cases/the-ruxton-murders-1935/ [https://www.policemuseum.org.uk/crime-casebook/interesting-cases/the-ruxton-murders-1935/]. National Domestic Violence Hotline. 2025. https://www.thehotline.org/ [https://www.thehotline.org/]. National Library of Medicine. The Buck Ruxton “Jigsaw Murders” case. Forensic Views of the Body: Visible Proofs. https://www.nlm.nih.gov/exhibition/visibleproofs/galleries/cases/ruxton.html [https://www.nlm.nih.gov/exhibition/visibleproofs/galleries/cases/ruxton.html]. Nature Spot. Wildlife and Wild Places of Leicestershire and Rutland. Calliphora vicina. https://www.naturespot.org/species/calliphora-vicina [https://www.naturespot.org/species/calliphora-vicina]. Soteriou, H. 2024. A house saturated with blood – Number 2 Dalton Square, Mortality, and Dr. Buck Ruxton. Lancaster University. https://www.epoch-magazine.com/post/a-house-saturated-with-blood-number-2-dalton-square-mortality-and-dr-buck-ruxton [https://www.epoch-magazine.com/post/a-house-saturated-with-blood-number-2-dalton-square-mortality-and-dr-buck-ruxton]. University of Glasgow. Dr. Buck Ruxton (1935). https://www.gla.ac.uk/myglasgow/library/collections/medicalhumanities/forensic%20medicine/casefiles/drbuckruxton1935/ [https://www.gla.ac.uk/myglasgow/library/collections/medicalhumanities/forensic%20medicine/casefiles/drbuckruxton1935/]. Cover Art by Marinus Pieter Filbri c.1887-1888. Music by Bryan Boyko.

Are whistles even clean?

On this first episode of Forensic Flies, Tessa goes into detail about her entomology background and gives the listener background information on what makes a fly a fly. She then discusses how blowflies and flesh flies are some of the earliest colonizers of decomposing remains by going into detail about two homicides dating back to thirteenth century China and 1850s Paris, France. The sources used in today’s episode are: Catts, E. P. and G. R. Mullen. 2002. Sarcophaga. Medical and Veterinary Entomology. https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/sarcophaga [https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/sarcophaga]. Dellinger, T. A., and E. Day. 2015. Blow Flies; Diptera: Calliphoridae. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. Virginia Cooperative Extension, https://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/content/dam/pubs_ext_vt_edu/ENTO/ENTO-134/ENTO-134-PDF.pdf [https://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/content/dam/pubs_ext_vt_edu/ENTO/ENTO-134/ENTO-134-PDF.pdf]. Diasz, L. A. and P. E. Kaufman. 2011, 2021, 2024. A Flesh Fly Sarcophaga crassipalpis Macquart (Insecta: Diptera: Sarcophagidae). University of Florida. UF/IFAS. Document number EENY503. https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/IN905 [https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/IN905]. Durnin, T. I. 2021. Exploring the hidden diversity of winter-emerging Chironomidae (Insecta: Diptera). University of Minnesota, Twin Cities. https://hdl.handle.net/11299/226346 [https://hdl.handle.net/11299/226346]. Goff, M.L. 2000, 2001. A Fly for the Prosecution: How Insect Evidence Helps Solve Crime. First Harvard University Press, paperback edition. KwaZulu-Natal. Public Health Vectors and Pests: Flesh Fly. https://www2.kznhealth.gov.za/environ/vector/fleshfly.htm [https://www2.kznhealth.gov.za/environ/vector/fleshfly.htm]. McDermid, V. 2015. Forensics: What Bugs, Burns, Prints, DNA, and More Tell Us About Crime. Grove Press. Merriam-Webster.com [http://Merriam-Webster.com] Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/entomology [https://www.merriam-webster.com/entomology]. Merriam-Webster.com [http://Merriam-Webster.com] Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/forensic [https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/forensic]. Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. 2025. Minneapolis/St. Paul Climate Data, Normals and Averages. https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/climate/twin_cities/normals.html [https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/climate/twin_cities/normals.html]. Smithsonian. May 1999, 2015. Insect Info: True Flies (Diptera). https://www.si.edu/spotlight/buginfo/true-flies-diptera [https://www.si.edu/spotlight/buginfo/true-flies-diptera]. The Bug Lady. 2010. Saukville Field Station: Flesh Fly (Family Sarcophagidae). https://uwm.edu/field-station/bug-of-the-week/flesh-fly/ [https://uwm.edu/field-station/bug-of-the-week/flesh-fly/]. Cover Art by Marinus Pieter Filbri c.1887-1888. Music by Bryan Boyko.

Introduction

Are you captivated by true crime and insects? Well then, don't be a buzz kill and join me here on Forensic Flies every Thursday beginning, November 6, 2025. Together, we'll take a deeper look into the fascinating world of forensic entomology. Disclaimer! I am not a professional forensic entomologist, but I do have a Master of Science degree in entomology. Cover Art by Marinus Pieter Filbri c.1887-1888 Music by Bryan Boyko