BANGOR, Maine — Dr. Henry Ryan, who served as Maine’s chief medical examiner from 1976 through 1998, died Sunday night at the age of 78, the Maine State Police said Monday.
Henry, a resident of Augusta, testified in hundreds of court hearings in murder cases and conducted thousands of scene investigations during his 22-year tenure, according to a tribute posted on the state of Maine’s website.
And his work continued to pay off even after he retired, as was case with the 2012 conviction, based largely on DNA evidence, in the murder of Rita St. Peter, whose body was found in Anson on July 5, 1980.
Under his watch, the Maine medical examiner system developed into a centralized, modern system. State statutes were updated. Educational programs were instituted, including a tie with the New England Seminar in Forensic Sciences at Colby College, according to state police.
Relationships with local and state law enforcement and the state crime lab were strengthened. The Maine Office of Chief Medical Examiner was one of few jurisdictions to use a multidisciplinary approach in death investigation beginning in the late ‘70s that included forensic anthropology, entomology and other forensic sciences.
When Ryan began serving as chief medical examiner in 1976, he conducted autopsies at funeral homes and hospitals for lack of a permanent location for these examinations to be conducted. Maine would be without such a facility until 1992.
In recognition of Ryan’s contributions to the people of Maine and to his profession, state officials dedicated a plaque in his honor at the Office of the State Medical Examiner’s headquarters in Augusta in late 2013.
The plaque was funded by donations from many of the physicians, police officers and attorneys who had learned and benefited from his contributions to the Maine system of death investigation.
At the time, Attorney General Janet Mills credited Ryan’s leadership for the creation of the facility and ushering in a new era in his field.
“Henry Ryan transformed the practice of forensic medicine in Maine,” Mills said. “He brought a new level of sophistication and advanced thinking to the practice. Working in conjunction with law enforcement, I have no doubt that his efforts have resulted in solving cases that might not otherwise have been resolved.”
Added then Chief Medical Examiner Margaret Greenwald: “Dr. Ryan set the standard for dedication to his profession. … He wasn’t merely a gifted physician, he also excelled as someone who brought people together to solve problems and put the public interest first. That is a remarkable legacy.”