Episode 24: Returning to the Mic: Reflects on the Delphi Case

Dr. Roland Kohr is diving straight into one of Indiana’s most haunting and widely discussed murder cases, the Delphi murders. In this new episode, Dr. Kohr unpacks not only the science and sequence of a forensic investigation but also the human side of what happens when tragedy meets meticulous procedure.

People always want to know, who decides who does the autopsy? When does the coroner call in the pathologist? What’s the order of steps? “This case was unusual in how quickly the decision had to be made, and how much coordination was required between multiple investigators and the State Police,” Dr. Kohr said.

How It Began: The Scene and the Call

After a long and unsuccessful day of searching, authorities discovered the bodies of two young girls the following morning. Indiana State Police were called immediately. Each regional post has its own evidence technicians, crime scene investigators with specialized training and high-end equipment, and they were dispatched to document every detail before anything could be moved.

“Before you start touching anything, before a single blade of grass or stick is moved, you photograph. That’s your one chance to document things exactly as they were found. Once the scene is disturbed, it’s gone forever,” Dr. Kohr explained.

Because of his long working relationship with the State Police and his reputation for precision, investigators specifically requested that Dr. Kohr handle the autopsies. Though he was not the usual Pathologist for that county, and he was based one hundred miles away,  his expertise carried weight.

“They called the coroner and said, ‘We want this case taken to Terre Haute. We want Dr. Kohr. It wasn’t about ego, it was about trust. We’d worked together nearly thirty years,” Dr. Kohr recalled. 

A Coordinated Effort

Once photographs were taken and evidence collected, the bodies were carefully transported to a local morgue, then driven overnight to Terre Haute Regional Hospital for autopsy. Dr. Kohr and his assistant began early the next morning, joined by a team of detectives, CSIs, sheriff’s deputies and the referring Coroner.

“We had probably five officers in the room throughout. Each one brought something different to the investigation: scene photos, trace evidence, questions. It’s not unlike a football team; you need every position working together,” Dr. Kohr explained.

Dr. Kohr emphasizes that his approach to autopsy is interactive. I don’t want a silent morgue. If I have a question about the scene, I ask it right then. They do the same. It’s a  constant back-and-forth.

Q&A: The Why and How

Q: Why did the State Police specifically request you?
Dr. Kohr: “The regular pathologist for that county wasn’t a forensic pathologist, and that matters in a criminal case. Indiana law allows any board-certified pathologist to perform autopsies, but that might include someone who studies skin biopsies or blood samples, not necessarily violent deaths. Forensic training is specialized; injury pattern analysis, gunshot trajectory, and postmortem interval estimation all require that background. They knew I had decades of experience and credibility in court.”

Q: How quickly does that decision need to be made?
Dr. Kohr: “There’s no exact clock, but sooner is better. The longer a body sits, even refrigerated, the more things change, ; chemistry, tissue appearance, evidence preservation. But you can’t rush it either. The scene must be fully documented first. In this case, doing the autopsies the next morning struck the right balance.”

Q: You’ve mentioned the ‘first 48 hours’ rule. How true is that?
Dr. Kohr: “It’s not just TV drama, it’s real. The first 48 hours are critical. That’s when evidence is fresh, witnesses remember, and connections can still be made. After that, memories fade, physical evidence degrades, and the trail cools. Most homicides are solved quickly, whether  domestic, drug-related, or crimes of passion. The ones that linger, like Delphi, are the exceptions.”

A Case That Shook a Community

Dr. Kohr reflects that what made Delphi different wasn’t just the brutality of the crime, but the context, two young victims in a small rural county unaccustomed to such violence.

“This wasn’t New York or Los Angeles. This was a tight-knit Indiana town where people don’t lock their doors. The kind of place where everyone knows everyone. When two children are murdered there, and the case isn’t immediately solved, it rattles the foundation of the whole community,” Dr. Kohr explained.

The Delphi case drew national attention not only for its horror but also for its mystery. The FBI's involvement, extensive media coverage, and years without resolution turned it into a national obsession.

The Art of the Work

Despite decades of performing autopsies, Dr. Kohr says there’s still an “art” to forensic medicine a delicate balance between science, experience, and timing.

“You can wait too long and lose evidence. Or you can rush and miss something crucial. The best investigators and pathologists know how to judge when it’s time to move forward,” Dr. Kohr explained.

That judgment, he believes, comes from experience and collaboration. “Forensics isn’t about one person behind a microscope. It’s a team, each doing their part, just like in any newsroom or operating room,” Dr. Kohr added.

Closing Thoughts

The Kohroner Chronicles podcast is not just a podcast, but an educational window into how justice begins, in business-like morgues, with questions, photographs, and collaboration.

“People assume what we do is grim. But at its core, it’s about truth, and giving a voice to those who can’t speak anymore,” Dr. Kohr explained.