Singer to Medicolegal Death Investigator - Katherine Grosso

Armed Forces Medical Examiner System:

“I feel like this is the most important thing that I have ever done.”

Born in Huntsville, Alabama, and raised in Woodbridge, Virginia, Katherine Grosso, Armed Forces Medical Examiner System (AFMES) medicolegal death investigator (MDI), is the daughter of an aerospace engineer and private pilot, and granddaughter of a retired Army colonel. Her upbringing, experiences and interests have coalesced over a lifetime to bring her to where she is today.

“I’ve had an interesting journey,” said Grosso. “I remember, as a kid, being around my dad and grandfather, and hearing the things they would talk about or what they were interested in, and thinking ‘that stuff is just not for me’.”

As a child, Katherine recalls her father taking her and her brother to the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum nearly every weekend, including one time to meet astronaut Sally Ride, while her grandfather spent his retirement writing books on military geography and strategy, bringing her to events where former military personnel regaled her with stories of military exploits and culture.

“Now, as an adult, especially in my professional capacity, I realize we’re more similar than I thought,” said Grosso.

Katherine attended Stonewall Jackson High School in Manassas, Virginia, roughly 45 minutes away from her home in Woodbridge, and was enrolled in a specialized program called the International Baccalaureate Program. It allowed students to complete two years of introductory curriculum and then specialize in a field of their choice in their junior and senior year. During her last two years, Katherine chose to pursue musical performance and after graduating in 2000, despite the suggestions from her parents and grandfather, Katherine decided to apply to James Madison University for voice performance.

“My grandfather wanted me to go to the Virginia Military Institute,” said Grosso. “But I wound up getting accepted to James Madison University. I was surrounded by a lot of super talented people. I loved it, it was something I was really passionate about.”

In her first year, though she loved the music program, she began to question whether her passion for singing could turn into a career. After taking a medical anthropology course, a new interest began to emerge.

“It was the most fascinating thing I’d ever learned about, academically,” said Grosso. “I loved the combination of anatomy and medicine and anthropology. So, when I went home for summer break, I decided that I was going to switch from music to anthropology.”

Focusing on physical anthropology, osteology, and anatomy, Katherine went on to graduate from James Madison University in 2005. Returning home to northern Virginia, she was unsure of her next steps but was eager to start getting real-world experience. She landed a job at the D.C. Medical Examiner’s office as an autopsy assistant.

An entry level position at a medical examiner’s office is typically managing equipment, vehicles, and the refrigerated units, commonly known in the industry as reefers.

“I thought that I was going to be managing the fleet or managing the reefers,” laughed Grosso. “I showed up the first day and they handed me a scalpel. I thought ‘oh no, this is not what I was anticipating’. But there was enough similarity there, with my degree, that I thought I would be appropriate for the job.”

After two years of working at the D.C. Medical Examiner’s office, Katherine applied to The George Washington University for a master’s degree in anthropology with a focus in forensic science. While at GWU, Katherine had a professor that worked at the Virginia Medical Examiner’s office, who presented her with a unique opportunity that introduced her to death investigations.

“Virginia has a unique system for death investigations,” explained Grosso. “A lot of their counties are manned by on-call investigators, so you don’t work in an office, you just take calls and respond. My professor said they were hiring a couple of people for this position so I thought ‘I can do that’. That was my first foray into true death investigations.”

After completing her master’s degree, Katherine found her way back to the D.C. Medical Examiner’s Office, serving for the next decade, this time as a forensic investigator. She credits her education in anthropology, the curiosity to understand people, and her desire to engage honestly with families of deceased individuals, with what drives her passion for her work.

“I tend to think about myself as a servant to others,” said Grosso. “I truly remember just about every investigation I've ever done. I remember people's names, and I remember their family members, and I think about them a lot. I enjoy being able to provide an opportunity for individuals to talk about their loved ones in a way that makes it meaningful for them.”

One day in 2016, an opportunity presented itself that seemed to bring her father’s, her grandfather’s, and her own interests all to the forefront. A posting had been listed for an MDI at AFMES. Katherine remembers the support of her grandfather and the words of encouragement that she received from her father.

“He told me that you don’t have to serve to be of service,” recalled Grosso. “He said this is your opportunity; this is where you give back. And of course, my grandfather was very proud that I found a way to give back to service members.”

Now, as an AFMES MDI for the past 10 years, Katherine is one of the leading experts in aviation mishap investigations, having worked nearly every U.S. Navy and Marine Corps mishap for the Department of War during her time in the position. She has also been the organization’s NASA liaison for every crewed space flight mission, providing technical advice, contingency planning, and training to multiple organizations prior to every launch. She views her experiences with her father and grandfather as equipping her with the knowledge and passion that she has added to her role and feels a personal responsibility to ensure that every investigation is conducted with the care and thoroughness that every family deserves.

“I feel like this is the most important thing that I have ever done,” said Grosso. “Every death at AFMES is the most important one, and I see my contribution as preventative, especially with our safety investigations. It’s the idea that no one is lost in vain. If there is something that we can learn from an incident through a death investigation - it’s how we can protect people in the future and prevent the same thing from happening to another family.”