Dr. Henry C. Lee, Celebrated Forensic Scientist, Dies at 87
Dr. Henry C. Lee, a prominent forensic scientist recognized for his involvement in numerous high-profile criminal investigations and his contributions to forensic science education, died on Friday, March 27, 2026, at his home in Henderson, Nevada, at the age of 87, following a brief illness. His career spanned over five decades at the University of New Haven and included service as Connecticut's chief criminalist.
In recent years, a federal court ruling found him liable for fabricating evidence in a 1985 murder case, a claim Lee consistently denied.
Early Life and Education
Henry C. Lee was born on November 22, 1938, in Rugao, Jiangsu, China. His family later emigrated to Taiwan, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in police administration. At the age of 22, he became the youngest police captain in Taiwanese history.
Lee moved to the United States in 1964, where he continued his education, earning a bachelor’s degree in forensic science from John Jay College in 1972. He subsequently obtained a master’s degree in biochemistry in 1974 and a Ph.D. in biochemistry in 1975 from New York University. Throughout his career, he received 30 honorary degrees.
Career Contributions
University of New Haven
Lee served as a professor at the University of New Haven for over 50 years, joining the institution in 1975. He founded the university’s forensic science program and established the Henry C. Lee Institute of Forensic Science in 1998. This institute opened a 15,000-square-foot facility in 2010, which included investigation technology.
Connecticut State Service
From 1978 to 2000, Lee served as chief criminalist for the State of Connecticut and director of the Connecticut State Police Forensic Science Laboratory. He was also Commissioner of the state’s Department of Public Safety and Connecticut State Police from 1998 to 2000. Following these roles, he held the position of Chief Emeritus for the state’s Division of Scientific Services from 2000 to 2010.
Global Forensic Work
Lee provided expertise as a forensic scientist in all 50 U.S. states and over 46 countries, delivering lectures in more than 70 nations. He consulted for 600 law enforcement agencies and testified over 1,000 times in courts.
Notable Investigations
Lee provided forensic expertise in a range of high-profile cases, which included:
- The O.J. Simpson murder trial in 1995, where he questioned the handling of blood evidence.
- The 1996 JonBenét Ramsey slaying.
- The Helle Crafts woodchipper murder.
- The 2004 Laci Peterson murder case (also known as the Scott Peterson murder trial).
- The death of Chandra Levy.
- The kidnapping of Elizabeth Smart.
- The 9/11 forensics investigation.
- The reinvestigation of the John F. Kennedy assassination.
- The 2007 Phil Spector murder trial.
Later Career Scrutiny
In later years, Lee’s professional work became the subject of scrutiny.
A 2023 federal court ruling found him liable for fabricating evidence in a 1985 murder case, which had resulted in the imprisonment of two Connecticut men for decades. A state judge vacated those convictions in 2020 after subsequent tests indicated that stains Lee had identified as blood were not blood.
Lee consistently denied fabricating evidence, attributing potential discrepancies to evidence degradation over time.
Publications and Media
Lee authored or co-authored more than 40 books on forensic science. In 2004, he hosted a crime-documentary series titled "Trace Evidence: The Case Files of Dr. Henry Lee." At the time of his death, he was reportedly finalizing a book on missing-persons investigations.
Personal Life
Lee was the eleventh of 13 children. He was pre-deceased by his wife, Margaret Lee, in 2017. He is survived by his daughter Sherry Hersey and son Stanley Lee, along with their spouses and four grandchildren. He is also survived by his wife Angel Xiaping Jiang and her two sons.
Lee credited his sister, Dr. Sylvia Lee-Huang, for her support throughout his career. He made contributions of honoraria and major gifts over the years and expressed a preference against a memorial service or celebration of life.