How a Nuclear Lab Helped Catch a Serial Killer

It’s the 1990s at a medical center in California, and patients are dying. At first, this doesn’t seem strange — it’s a hospital, and deaths happen. But then rumors start to circulate about a particular health care worker: Difficult or needy patients in his care are ending up dead. The cops get involved, but there’s a huge problem: There’s no hard evidence. Until the so-called “Lab of Last Resort” steps in. Crime Junkie host Ashley Flowers joins us as we speak to analytical chemist Armando Alcaraz, former Detective Sergeant John McKillop and Dr. Ian Musgrave. 

Find our transcript here: https://bit.ly/ScienceVsSerialKiller

In this episode we cover: 

(00:00) Deaths at a California Hospital

(05:20) Meet Efren Saldivar

(10:51) A Shocking Confession

(15:40) Pavulon and Succinylcholine

(21:00) Searching for Suspicious Cases

(25:09) The Lab of Last Resort 

(34:21) Testing the Bodies

(39:30) The Story Ends 

Credits:

This episode was produced by Joel Werner and Ekedi Fausther-Keeys, with help from Wendy Zukerman, along with Meryl Horn, Rose Rimler and Michelle Dang. We’re edited by Blythe Terrell. Mix and sound design by Sam Bair. Fact checking by Diane Kelly. Music written by So Wylie, Bobby Lord and Bumi Hidaka. Thanks to Roland Campos, Steve Wampler, Audrey Williams, the audiochuck team, Jasmine Kingston, Connor Sampson, Stupid Old Studios, and Penny Greenhalgh. Special thanks to the LA times staff whose very thorough reporting we used to research this episode. 

Science Vs is a Spotify Studios Original. Listen for free on Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. Follow us and tap the bell for episode notifications. 

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