Josh Lavignitz died on August 7, 2017, and for almost three years, I didn't know his cause of death.

Josh was 39 years old when he died, and his death was totally unexpected.

That's why the state medical examiner decided to do an autopsy. She ran a battery of

tests, inspected the body, and wrote up everything she found in an autopsy report. It's a 15-page

document, and it was the only thing that could confirm exactly how Josh died. Back in 2017, I couldn't get access to that report.

But three years later, I finally got a copy. After it came in the mail, I called up my editor to debrief.

All right, so. Yeah.

You want to open it up?

I had never read through an autopsy report before.

Do I just read it to you?

It is a startlingly detailed document.

An examination of the body of Joshua Lavonitz.

For example, it includes Josh's height in inches and the weight of his heart in grams.

There are other details, too.

Details that would make it impossible to think it was describing anyone other than Josh.

Identifying marks and scars.

There are tattoos as follows.

An angel figure with the names dates Caleb William.

On the left side of the chest, a mountain scene with the phrase, the mountains are calling,

and a puzzle piece on the anterior left wrist.

The fingernails are very short, dirty, and appear bitten.

Wow.

...