In this episode of Anatomy of an End, host Davis Henry goes in completely blind as forensic psychological consultant D. Edward Tatum walks us through the case of “Mark,” a 52-year-old man who died by suicide within 72 hours of his first arrest.

Through the psychological autopsy, Dana unpacks the subtle but significant warning signs that were present during Mark’s final conversation with his daughter. These were signs that only become clear in retrospect. We examine changes in body language, the giving away of prized possessions, sudden shifts in what once mattered deeply to him, and the powerful roles of shame and identity collapse under extreme stress.

This episode also features listener questions, including:

• When someone dies by suicide despite having people who love them, how should survivors understand the painful question, “Why weren’t we enough?”
• What can make someone unable or unwilling to accept help even when others are trying to intervene?
• How can a person conceal serious mental health struggles so effectively that those closest to them are still searching for answers years later?

As always, we focus on what can be learned and carried forward. All behavior is significant, especially during crisis.

If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline) or visit 988lifeline.org. For treatment resources, go to findtreatment.gov.

Stay present. Stay engaged. Stay alive.

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At first glance, Noor's story seems straightforward.

A 19-year-old woman struggling with the criminal justice system. Court records. Stalking charges. Threats against a judge. A jail suicide.

But psychological autopsies rarely begin where they end.

In this episode of Anatomy of an End, forensic psychological consultant D. Edward Tatum and Davis reconstruct Noor's final months through the lens of a real-world psychological autopsy, revealing a profoundly different story than the public record alone can tell.

Together, they examine the devastating intersection of severe mental illness, cultural stigma, social isolation, psychosis, PTSD, the psychology of attachment, and a justice system that often struggles to distinguish psychiatric crisis from criminal behavior. They explore how schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder can distort reality, why depression is so deeply misunderstood, how untreated mental illness reshapes relationships and decision-making, and why correctional institutions have become one of America's largest providers of mental health care.

Most importantly, they ask a difficult question:

What happens when every system around a vulnerable person interprets symptoms as defiance?

This is not a story about assigning blame. It is a conversation about understanding the psychology behind behavior, recognizing missed opportunities, and examining how seemingly ordinary decisions, made by families, clinicians, courts, and correctional staff, can converge into irreversible tragedy.

If we hope to prevent suicide, we must first understand the lives that precede it.

If you are in crisis, you do not have to struggle alone. Dial 988 for 24/7 support.

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In this episode of Anatomy of an End, we examine the life and death of William, a respected corrections clinician whose apparent suicide revealed a hidden life that few, even those closest to him, knew existed.

As we reconstruct William's psychological landscape, we explore the relationships, decisions, and competing narratives that emerged after his death. Was he a devoted father and clinician who became trapped in a life of secrecy? A predator who concealed his true nature for decades? Or a vulnerable man manipulated by someone he believed he could trust?

While no psychological autopsy can determine exactly what happened, it can illuminate the patterns, pressures, and possibilities that traditional investigations often overlook.

To understand how a life ends, we must first understand how it was lived.

This episode contains discussion of suicide, mental illness, intimate relationships, and death.

If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988 in the United States or contact your local crisis service.

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In the final installment of our first case, we examine the days and hours leading up to Susan's death.

By this point, we have explored the scene and the life that preceded it. Now, we turn our attention to the events immediately before her death—the relationships, decisions, conflicts, and circumstances that may help us better understand how this tragedy unfolded.

While no investigation can fully answer every question, examining the final chapter of a person's life can sometimes reveal patterns, warning signs, and opportunities for intervention that are only visible in hindsight.

To understand how a life ends, we must first understand how it was lived. To prevent future deaths, we must be willing to examine the difficult realities that precede them.

This episode contains discussion of suicide, self-harm, mental illness, and death.

If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988 in the United States or contact your local crisis service.

 Additional Voices Provided By:

-Major Trakida Malodonado, MA LPC Unit Commander Gwinnett County Sheriff's Office Mental Health Task Force

-Ra'Sheia Parker, MA LAPC

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Who was Susan before she became the subject of an investigation?

In Part Two, we move beyond the scene itself and examine the life of the young woman at the center of this case. Through her relationships, personal struggles, behavior patterns, and the perspectives of those who knew her, a more complete picture begins to emerge.

Understanding a death requires first understanding a life. Before we can explore the events that led to Susan's final days, we must understand who she was, what she carried with her, and how others experienced her.

This episode contains discussion of suicide, self-harm, mental illness, and death.

If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988 in the United States or contact your local crisis service.

Additional Voices Provided By:

-Major Trakida Malodonado, MA LPC Unit Commander Gwinnett County Sheriff's Office Mental Health Task Force

-Col. Ben Haynes, Gwinette County Sheriff's Office

-Major Donnatae Royal, Gwinnett County Sheriff's Office (Ret.)

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Welcome to the first episode of Anatomy of an End.

Our mission is simple, though the subject matter is not: to examine deaths by suicide through the lens of psychological autopsy and use what we learn to advance prevention. By revisiting these stories with compassion, honesty, and evidence, we hope to challenge the stigma, misconceptions, and cultural myths that often prevent meaningful conversations about suicide and mental health.

In Part One of our inaugural case, we begin with the death of Susan. We examine the scene, the known facts, the emergency response, and the evidence that would become the foundation for years of debate and speculation. Before we can understand the person, or the circumstances that led to her death, we must first understand what happened.

This is not an exercise in sensationalism. Behind every investigation is a human being, a family, and a community left searching for answers. Our goal is not simply to retell these stories, but to learn from them.

This episode contains discussion of suicide, self-harm, mental illness, and death.

If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988 in the United States or contact your local crisis service. Help is available.

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An introduction to Anatomy of an End — a long-form psychological autopsy podcast exploring suicide, stigma, prevention, and human behavior through real forensic case analysis.

Hosted by Davis Henry and forensic psychological consultant D. Edward Tatum.

Launching June 2026.

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