County names Dr. Jonathan Lucas chief medical examiner


Dr. Jonathan Lucas Returns to San Diego County as CME

San Diego County has appointed Dr. Jonathan Lucas as its new chief medical examiner, marking a significant leadership change in the department responsible for investigating all sudden, unexpected, or unnatural deaths in the county. Dr. Lucas succeeds Dr. Steven Campman, who is retiring after 24 years of service, including the last four years in the top role.

Professional Background

Dr. Lucas brings over 20 years of forensic pathology experience to his new position. From 2017 to 2022, he served as Chief Medical Examiner-Coroner for Los Angeles County, managing one of the nation's busiest offices with more than 250 staff and a service population exceeding 10 million residents. Before his appointment in Los Angeles, Lucas served as chief deputy medical examiner in San Diego County.

Dr. Lucas is returning to familiar territory, as he began his career with the San Diego County Medical Examiner's Office in 2001 and was promoted to Chief Deputy in 2011. During his earlier tenure in San Diego, he was involved in high-profile cases, including the 2011 deaths of Max Shacknai and Rebecca Zahau at Coronado's Spreckels mansion that captured global attention.

Prior to his work in California, Dr. Lucas worked for the New York City Medical Examiner until October 1, 2001, where he was involved in processing victim remains following the September 11 terrorist attacks. During his time in New York, he performed 548 forensic autopsies as a medical examiner for New York City's Office of Chief Medical Examiner.

Education and Training

Dr. Lucas earned his undergraduate degree in Biology from UC Riverside and his medical degree from the University of Nevada School of Medicine. He completed his residency in anatomic and clinical pathology at UCLA Medical Center and completed fellowship training in forensic pathology at the Office of Chief Medical Examiner in New York City. This extensive educational background has prepared him for the complex responsibilities of his new role.

Professional Experience and Expertise

Throughout his distinguished career, Dr. Lucas has performed or supervised nearly 5,000 autopsies, responded to numerous death scenes, and provided expert testimony in both criminal and civil proceedings. He has distinguished himself as an expert on a range of issues, including illicit drug-related fatalities.

His expertise extends beyond individual case investigations. Dr. Lucas has led accreditation efforts with the National Association of Medical Examiners (NAME) and the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), including playing a key role in restoring ACGME accreditation for the department's forensic pathology training program—one of fewer than 50 in the nation.

Public Health Advocacy

Throughout his career, Dr. Lucas has maintained a strong commitment to public health. He has participated in regional task forces focused on substance abuse and the opioid epidemic and worked collaboratively with community partners to monitor trends in deaths related to intoxication and injury.

As early as 2016, while serving as Deputy Chief Medical Examiner, Dr. Lucas appeared on Fox 5's San Diego's Most Wanted to discuss prescription drug abuse. During that interview, he noted that over the previous decade, he had seen the number of prescription drug abuse deaths in San Diego County nearly double.

Research and Publications

Dr. Lucas has contributed to forensic science research, with research works documented on ResearchGate that have received 140 citations. His research has included investigating postmortem concentration distribution and acute fatalities, particularly in relation to drug-related cases.

Vision for the Department

Upon his appointment, Dr. Lucas stated, "It is an honor to assume the role of chief medical examiner. I am committed to continuing the department's legacy of scientific excellence, integrity, transparency and service to the community."

Andrew Strong, Deputy Chief Administrative Officer, expressed confidence in the appointment, stating, "Dr. Lucas brings a depth of expertise and leadership that makes him exceptionally well-suited for this role. His experience in both San Diego and Los Angeles Counties, along with his focus on innovation, training, and public health, will be a tremendous asset as we continue to strengthen the work of the Medical Examiner's Office."

In his new role, Dr. Lucas will lead the department responsible for investigating all sudden, unexpected, or unnatural deaths to help identify public health risks and inform preventative efforts across the County, a critical function in protecting public health and safety.

I'll search for information about other controversies in Dr. Jonathan Lucas's career as a medical examiner.

Controversies in Dr. Jonathan Lucas's Career

Based on my research, Dr. Jonathan Lucas has faced several other professional controversies beyond the Spreckels mansion deaths, primarily related to his tenure as Los Angeles County's Chief Medical Examiner-Coroner from 2017 to 2022.

Inheriting a Troubled Department in Los Angeles

When Dr. Lucas took over as Los Angeles County's Chief Medical Examiner-Coroner in July 2017, he inherited a department in crisis:

  1. Severe Backlogs: He became the fourth person in just 16 months to lead the department, which was "plagued by autopsy and toxicology backlogs, staff turnover and the near loss of its national accreditation."

  2. Predecessor's Resignation: His predecessor, Dr. Mark Fajardo, had resigned abruptly in March 2016, citing a situation where "it was common to have 40 to 50 bodies waiting to be processed and the backlog of bodies was 'nuts.'" The toxicology backlog had reportedly grown to approximately 2,400 cases.

  3. Accreditation Issues: When Lucas arrived, the office had only a provisional accreditation from the National Association of Medical Examiners due to delays in conducting autopsies and toxicology tests.

  4. Budget Constraints: A 24-page grand jury report backed up the previous medical examiner's claims about backlogs, "placing the blame on Los Angeles County's lack of funding." Budget issues continued, with the county reportedly recommending less funding than requested by the department.

Unexplained Departure from Los Angeles

Dr. Lucas's departure from Los Angeles County in 2022 has raised questions:

  1. Limited Public Information: Public records only indicate that "Dr. Lucas announced his intent to leave DMEC in September 2022," without providing specific reasons for his departure.

  2. Quick Return to San Diego: After leaving Los Angeles, he immediately returned to San Diego County as Chief Deputy Medical Examiner in 2022, taking a step down from his previous Chief Medical Examiner role in Los Angeles.

  3. No Official Explanation: Despite extensive searching, no public statements or news articles appear to explain why Dr. Lucas left Los Angeles County after five years to return to a deputy position in San Diego. The timing and circumstances have not been publicly addressed.

Leadership During COVID-19 Crisis

Dr. Lucas led the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner's Office during the COVID-19 pandemic, which placed unprecedented strain on the department:

  1. Operational Changes: In March 2020, the department announced that "due to an abundance of caution regarding the coronavirus, all routine visits to Medical Examiner-Coroner facilities are being suspended."

  2. Death Surge Management: The pandemic significantly increased the workload for a department that was already struggling with backlogs and staffing issues.

While Dr. Lucas has had a distinguished career spanning multiple jurisdictions and has been praised for his expertise, his professional path has been marked by these significant challenges. His recent promotion back to Chief Medical Examiner in San Diego County suggests that despite these controversies, his expertise and leadership skills continue to be valued in the field of forensic pathology.

 

Dr. Lucas and the Spreckels Mansion Deaths

In 2011, Dr. Jonathan Lucas found himself at the center of a case that would capture international attention and spark years of controversy. As San Diego County's chief deputy medical examiner at the time, Lucas conducted the autopsies on both Max Shacknai, 6, and Rebecca Zahau, 32, following their separate but closely timed deaths at the historic Spreckels mansion in Coronado.

The Deaths

The case began when Max Shacknai, the young son of pharmaceutical executive Jonah Shacknai, suffered fatal injuries from what was reported as an accidental fall from a staircase at the mansion. Just days later, Rebecca Zahau, Jonah Shacknai's girlfriend who had been present during Max's accident, was found hanging nude from a balcony at the same residence.

The Investigation

With help from sheriff's investigators, Dr. Lucas concluded that Max's death was an accident and Zahau's was suicide by hanging. The official determination in Zahau's case particularly drew scrutiny due to the unusual circumstances surrounding her death.

Controversy and Aftermath

Following a press conference on September 2, 2011, where Lucas and police officers detailed their findings, new details were released in an autopsy report that revealed investigators had found four separate injuries to the top of Zahau's head, a piece of shirt stuffed in her mouth, and remnants of sticky tape around her ankles.

These findings led Zahau's family to question the suicide determination, suggesting she could not have self-inflicted these injuries. They requested the case be re-examined. Lucas, bound by professional protocol, could not elaborate further on the case, noting that aspects of it remained under investigation.

The Zahau case has continued to generate public interest, media coverage, and legal actions over the years, including a civil lawsuit filed by Zahau's family that resulted in a 2018 jury finding Adam Shacknai (Jonah's brother) responsible for her death, though he was never criminally charged.

Families Challenge Dr. Lucas's Findings in Spreckels Mansion Deaths

There continue to be significant concerns about Dr. Jonathan Lucas's findings in the Spreckels mansion deaths, particularly from the families involved. The cases have remained controversial for over a decade since the 2011 incidents.

Rebecca Zahau's Family's Challenges

The Zahau family has persistently disputed Dr. Lucas's suicide determination and has taken multiple legal actions to challenge it:

  1. Civil Lawsuit Success: In 2018, a civil jury found Adam Shacknai (Jonah Shacknai's brother) responsible for Zahau's death in a wrongful death lawsuit, awarding the family $5.2 million in damages. This directly contradicted Lucas's official finding of suicide.

  2. Multiple Petition Attempts: The family has made several attempts to petition the Medical Examiner's Office to change Rebecca's cause of death from "suicide" to "homicide" or "undetermined." As recently as 2022, they were still pursuing this change with Dr. Lucas himself, who by then had moved to Los Angeles County as Chief Medical Examiner-Coroner.

  3. Records Access Lawsuit: In 2020, the family sued the San Diego County Sheriff's Office for "refusing to provide access to records regarding the sheriff's investigation into her death," believing documents were being withheld that might contradict the suicide finding.

  4. Expert Testimony Contradiction: Dr. Cyril Wecht, a renowned forensic pathologist who performed a second autopsy, testified in court: "In my opinion, Rebecca Zahau's death was a homicide. She was manually strangled and it was set up to look like a suicidal hanging." His findings directly challenged Lucas's conclusions.

  5. Rejection of Petition: In September 2023, current Chief Medical Examiner Steven C. Campman reviewed their petition but wrote that "after reviewing the totality of the evidence, the conclusion of this office has not changed."

Max Shacknai's Mother's Challenges

Dina Shacknai, Max's mother, has also contested Dr. Lucas's finding that her son's death was accidental:

  1. Independent Investigation: Shacknai hired independent experts to review the findings, stating "Things just didn't add up to me. When I started this process all I knew is that I wanted the truth, wherever that led, like any parent would."

  2. Homicide Claim: Forensic pathologist Dr. Judy Melinek, hired by Dina Shacknai, stated it would be "more accurate to certify that manner as a homicide, where homicide is defined as death at the hands of another."

  3. Rejection by Authorities: Despite these expert opinions, in 2012 the Coronado Police Department declined to reopen the investigation into Max's death, prompting Dina Shacknai to release a statement calling the decision a "predetermined and politically expedient outcome."

Current Status

The controversy remains unresolved. The Zahau family has continued to pursue having the cause of death reclassified, with their ultimate goal being to see criminal charges filed in Rebecca's death. Despite multiple legal actions and the presentation of alternative expert opinions, official authorities have maintained their original findings that Max's death was accidental and Rebecca's death was suicide.

The cases continue to generate public interest, with numerous documentaries, TV specials, and books produced about the mysterious deaths at the Spreckels mansion. It is questionable if the controversy will weigh on Dr. Lucas tenure as CME.

Sources:

  1. "San Diego County names Dr. Jonathan Lucas chief medical examiner." Times of San Diego. May 16, 2025. https://timesofsandiego.com/crime/2025/05/16/san-diego-county-names-jonathan-lucas-chief-medical-examiner/

  2. "Dr. Jonathan Lucas Appointed Chief Medical Examiner for San Diego County." San Diego County News Center. May 16, 2025. https://www.countynewscenter.com/dr-jonathan-lucas-appointed-chief-medical-examiner-for-san-diego-county/

  3. "Lucas Named New L.A. County Medical Examiner-Coroner." Medical Examiner. 2018. https://mec.lacounty.gov/2018/press-releases/lucas-named-new-l-a-county-medical-examiner-coroner/

  4. "New coroner to lead strapped LA County morgue after stints in New York, San Diego." Daily News. August 28, 2017. https://www.dailynews.com/2017/06/08/new-coroner-to-lead-strapped-la-county-morgue-after-stints-in-new-york-san-diego/

  5. "Seeking clues from the dead." San Diego Union-Tribune. September 5, 2016. https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sdut-medical-examiner-jonathan-lucas-san-diego-2013apr27-htmlstory.html

  6. "'San Diego's Most Wanted' Features Deputy Chief Medical Examiner." San Diego County News Center. June 6, 2016. https://www.countynewscenter.com/san-diegos-most-wanted-features-deputy-chief-medical-examiner/

  7. "Dr. Jonathan Lucas, LAC Medical Examiner-Coroner, WIM Luncheon." USC WIM. August 2, 2018. https://uscwim.org/2018/08/02/dr-jonathan-lucas-lac-medical-examiner-coroner-wim-luncheon/

  8. "Jonathan R Lucas's research works." ResearchGate. https://www.researchgate.net/scientific-contributions/Jonathan-R-Lucas-71472182

  9. "Lodi native Jonathan Lucas finds fulfillment as doctor to the dead." Lodi News. October 8, 2011. https://www.lodinews.com/news/article_3b31b341-d617-593a-bf62-0d7174048e6d.html

County names Dr. Jonathan Lucas chief medical examiner

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