Forensic Pathologist and “CSI” Consultant to Appear at Carleton College

 Gary Telgenhoff, a forensic pathologist and consultant for the popular television drama “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation,” will present the first convocation of 2009 on Friday, Jan. 9 at 10:50 a.m. in the Skinner Memorial Chapel at Carleton College. As the Deputy Medical Examiner at the Clark County Coroner’s Office in Las Vegas, Telgenhoff autopsies over 450 bodies a year. His experience and expertise are frequently called upon in court to determine the cause and manner of death. The convocation, titled “Speak for You: Telling the Tales the Dead Can’t Tell,” focuses on Telgenhoff’s work as a voice for the deceased in unraveling the mystery of their demise. yes">  Telgenhoff’s appearance is free and open to the public. 

Telgenhoff attended medical school at Michigan State University, where he developed an interest in pathology. He did a four-year residency at the Cleveland Clinic and Medical College of Ohio, where he was exposed to the forensic morgue. He immediately developed a fascination with forensics, and continued to work at the morgue while supplying crime novel writers with information on the side. Anthony Zuiker, who ultimately created the hit television drama “CSI,” sought out Telgenhoff for crime scenario ideas and forensic lingo for a movie script. Several months after their meeting, the “CSI” series was born, which trails the investigations of a team of Las Vegas forensic scientists solving unusual crimes. After its debut in 2000, “CSI” became the most highly viewed American television show by 2002 and prompted the production of two spin-off series, “CSI: Miami” and “CSI: New York.”

Telgenhoff considers the mystery aspect of a crime the most alluring part of his work in the forensic field—“the process of putting the case together, getting an answer that makes sense.” In addition to working as a forensic pathologist, Telgenhoff is also the drummer for a band called SkinnerRat.  He wrote a song on their first album titled “Speak for You,” which describes his profession as a voice for the deceased. Telgenhoff plans to release several future albums with SkinnerRat, but assures “CSI” viewers, “I could never give up dead people.”

For more information on the convocation, including disability accommodations, contact the Carleton College Relations Office at (507) 222-4308.