About Dead Man’s Hand
Forensic pathology is the study of injury, disease, and death. Our mission is to pursue truth through the accurate and precise application of forensic pathology. Dedicated to seeking the truth through the application of the forensic sciences, Lieutenant Colonel (ret.) Paul Uribe is a board certified anatomic, clinical, and forensic pathologist with over 23 years of active duty service.
Biography
Lieutenant Colonel (ret.) Paul S. Uribe was raised in Spring Valley, California and attended Claremont McKenna College in Claremont, California where he graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor’s of Arts degree in Psychobiology. He received admission to the Uniformed Services University of the Heath Sciences (USUHS) for medical school and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Army.
Upon graduating USUHS, he completed a Transitional Internship at Madigan Army Medical Center in Fort Lewis, WA followed by Anatomic and Clinical Pathology Residency at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Washington DC/National Naval Medical Center, Bethesda, Maryland.
His military assignments included Madigan Army Medical Center, the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology/Armed Forces Medical Examiner System, and Chief of Pathology, Fort Benning, Georgia. His military career culminated as the Director, Office of the Armed Forces Medical Examiner. He retired from active duty service in April 2021.
Lieutenant Colonel (ret.) Uribe’s formal military education includes graduation from the Army Medical Department Officer’s Basic Course, Captain’s Career Course, and Intermediate Level Education. He has also completed the Medical Management of Chemical and Biological Casualty Course, Combat Casualty Course, and Advanced Trauma Life Support and Advanced Cardiac Life Support Courses. His military awards include the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal with one oak leaf cluster, Joint Service Commendation Medal with one oak leaf cluster, Army Commendation Medal, and Army Superior Unit Award. He is a recipient of the Order of Military Medical Merit (O2M3) and the “A” Proficiency Designator.
Dr. Uribe is board certified in Anatomic, Clinical, and Forensic Pathology by the American Board of Pathology. He has active medical medical licensure in eight states (Washington, Nevada, Georgia, California, New Jersey, Texas, Florida, South Carolina, and Maryland). During his career, he has performed over 2000 autopsies and been certified as a forensic expert witness in numerous trials and depositions. He has taught medical students, residents, fellows, investigators, law enforcement, autopsy assistants, and other support personnel. He has published in the peer review scientific literature and has presented at national and international forensic conferences and workshops on various topics. He has worked with the Federal Bureau of Investigations, US Department of Justice, Army Criminal Investigation Command, Naval Criminal Investigative Service, Air Force Office of Special Investigations, US Department of State, Department of Veteran’s Affairs, Office of the Inspector General, and various US State and District Attorneys General.
Qualifications
OUTSTANDING CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION
Reta Mays Serial Medical Murder
Pittsburgh Field Office
In June 2018, the FBI-along with the Department of Veterans Affairs: Office of the Inspector General and the Department of Justice-undertook the challenging task of trying to determining the cause of an alarming number of deaths of elderly veterans following unexpected crashes in blood sugar levels at the Louis A. Johnson VA Medical Center in Clarksburg, WV. Medical causation was extremely complicated as the victims, all veterans of foreign conflicts, had all suffered from various medical issues. A lack of direct evidence challenged the investigative team as they sought to establish that criminal activity had occurred, as well as determine the perpetrator. Despite these challenging obstacles, the investigative team spent months cataloging, reviewing, and organizing tens of thousands of medical records. The team supplemented the record review with over 300 interviews, multiple consultations with the Behavioral Analysis Unit, multiple confidential human source operations, three subject interviews, and the examination of over 150 items of evidence by the FBI lab. In conjunction with world renowned experts regarding these medical evidentiary hurdles, the team accomplished the extremely challenging task of assembling a strong and solid case against Reta Mays, a nursing assistant at the facility. Mays was a serial killer who preyed upon elderly military veterans being treated at the VA. The accumulated evidence was so impressive that after a series of meetings with the defense, Mays ultimately entered guilty pleas to multiple counts of second-degree murder. Reta Mays received the maximum sentence allowed by law.
Origin of Dead Man’s Hand
This emblem represents the dedication, service, and contributions of the Armed Forces to the medical examiner and death investigation community. The emblem honors the final sacrifice of all who have passed through the hallowed halls of the Port Mortuary at Dover Air Force Base.
The poker hand was held by James Butler “Wild Bill” Hickok when he was shot in the back of the head by Jack McCall on August 2nd, 1876 in Deadwood, South Dakota.
The hand consists of the ace of spades, ace of clubs, eight of spades, and eight of clubs (“black aces over black eights”). The fifth card has been and will always remain unknown.
The poker hand was held by James Butler “Wild Bill” Hickok when he was shot in the back of the head by Jack McCall on August 2nd, 1876 in Deadwood, South Dakota.
Hic locus est ubi mors gudet succurrere vitae
“This is the place where death delights to help the living.”
Never forget the fallen. Never forget the mission.