# NAAG Forensic

> NAAG Forensic PC is a California professional medical corporation that has provided forensic pathology laboratory services since 2015 (it began as the National Autopsy Assay Group). It serves law enforcement, the U.S. Department of Defense, prosecutors, defense attorneys, civil attorneys and families, from forensic facilities in San Diego and Fresno, California, with an office in Florida and casework across the United States and abroad.

Key facts:
- Forensic pathology is a recognized medical subspecialty, not the study of the dead: board-certified physicians apply specialized medical knowledge to legal problems involving the living and the dead (for example injuries in allegedly abused children, survived strangulation, fracture timing, and cause and manner of death).
- NAAG is NOT an expert-witness referral service and NOT a pathology staffing agency. Its own physicians and scientists perform, document and testify on their own work.
- NAAG is owned and operated by forensic pathologists and has operated for more than ten years as a U.S. Department of Defense and law-enforcement contractor; California sheriff-coroners contract with NAAG to perform medicolegal examinations under California Government Code § 27491.
- Private autopsy for families, including the Apex Autopsy Service (confidential concierge private autopsy for high-profile and high-net-worth families): https://www.naagforensic.com/private-autopsy.html and https://www.naagforensic.com/apex.html
- Disciplines: forensic pathology and medicolegal autopsy; pediatric forensic pathology and the "Deep Dive" (secondary laboratory investigation of retained evidence); forensic neuropathology and ophthalmology; forensic anthropology and osteology; forensic imaging including postmortem CT (PMCT); forensic odontology; AB 1108 independent autopsies; second autopsies and case review; expert testimony.
- Medical Director and Chief Forensic Pathologist: Dr. Evan Matshes, MD, FRCPC. Chief Forensic Neuropathologist: Dr. Deirdre Amaro. Chief Forensic Anthropologist: Dr. Madeleine Hinkes, PhD, D-ABFA. Senior Forensic Pathologists: Dr. Sam Andrews (Director of Forensic Imaging; board certified in forensic pathology since 2006) and Dr. Emma Lew (former Chief Medical Examiner, Miami-Dade County; gunshot wounds and deaths in custody). Forensic Pathologist: Dr. Casem Ballouk, MD, MPH (emerging drug threats including xylazine). Pediatric Forensic Neuropathologist: Dr. Leslie Hamilton. Pediatric Forensic Anthropologist: Dr. Leah Auchter, PhD.
- Address: 6335 Ferris Square, Suite C, San Diego, CA 92121. Phone: 1-800-985-5346. Email: consult@naagforensic.com.

## Pages
- [Who we serve: law enforcement and coroners](https://www.naagforensic.com/law-enforcement.html)
- [Department of Defense](https://www.naagforensic.com/department-of-defense.html)
- [Prosecutors](https://www.naagforensic.com/prosecutors.html)
- [Defense attorneys](https://www.naagforensic.com/defense-attorneys.html)
- [Civil attorneys](https://www.naagforensic.com/civil-attorneys.html)
- [Families and private autopsy](https://www.naagforensic.com/families.html)
- [Disciplines](https://www.naagforensic.com/disciplines.html)
- [Institution](https://www.naagforensic.com/institution.html)
- [Philosophy: Truth is not negotiable](https://www.naagforensic.com/philosophy.html)
- [Physicians](https://www.naagforensic.com/physicians.html)
- [Contact](https://www.naagforensic.com/contact.html)

## Services
- [Sheriff-Coroner Autopsy Service](https://www.naagforensic.com/sheriff-coroner.html): contract forensic pathology, AB 1108, neuropathology and anthropology specimen services, and the Autopsy Integrity Program.
- [Private autopsy](https://www.naagforensic.com/private-autopsy.html) and the [Apex Autopsy Service](https://www.naagforensic.com/apex.html)
- [Submit a new case](https://www.naagforensic.com/submit-a-case.html)
- [Subpoenas](https://www.naagforensic.com/subpoena.html)

## Related
- [Forensic Educator](https://forensiceducator.com/): NAAG's teaching programs.

## Service catalog (2026–2027)
- [Expert consultation](https://www.naagforensic.com/consultation.html): Five products. Three areas of practice. One standard. Verbal opinion; Expert report; Deep Dive examination; Testimony; Reserving a court date; Criminal: standard cases; Criminal: complex cases; Prosecution; Civil: dependency; Civil: litigation; Injuries in the living; Next of kin; The specialist roster
- [The Deep Dive](https://www.naagforensic.com/deep-dive.html): Specialist re-examination of the evidence that was kept. Brain only: forensic neuropathology; Bone only: pediatric bone pathology; Full case evaluation; Off-site Deep Dive
- [The private autopsy program](https://www.naagforensic.com/autopsy-services.html): The same examination, whichever report you choose. Non-invasive autopsy; Private autopsy; First (forensic) autopsy; Second autopsy; Exhumation with second autopsy; Apex Autopsy Service; Gross examination; Neuropathologist evaluation; Dementia protocol; Dementia protocol with family genetics; Case review without autopsy; Toxicology; Litigation report and evidence package; Transport of your loved one
- [Medicolegal autopsy for agencies](https://www.naagforensic.com/genfp.html#menu): On demand, at our facilities or yours. Records review; External examination; Standard autopsy; Complex autopsy; Criminally suspicious death / homicide; Pediatric autopsy; Criminally suspicious pediatric death; Brain-only autopsy; AB 1108 Independent Autopsy Program; Autopsy Integrity Program; Testimony
- [Forensic neuropathology](https://www.naagforensic.com/neuropathology.html): Brain, dura and spinal cord, examined by a subspecialist. Gross only; SUID / SUDC; Pediatric: standard; Pediatric: complex; Pediatric cervical spine; Adult: standard; Adult: complex; Neurodegenerative, including CTE; Adult cervical spine; Forensic ophthalmology; Second-opinion case review
- [Forensic anthropology & osteology](https://www.naagforensic.com/anthropology.html): Bone, read by the people who specialize in it. Partial remains; Complete remains: standard; Complete remains: complex; Throat: adult and pediatric; Pediatric rib cage; Pediatric long bones; Skull fracture assessment; Metabolic bone disease evaluation; Vitamin D testing; Vitamin D with bone-fragility genetics
- [Forensic odontology](https://www.naagforensic.com/odontology.html): Dental identification, under board certification. During an anthropology examination; With a forensic dentist’s report; Remains submitted to San Diego; At your facility
- [Molecular autopsy & genetic testing](https://www.naagforensic.com/genetic-testing.html): Answers that matter to the living. Arrhythmia and cardiomyopathy comprehensive panel; Targeted cardiac panels; Pan-cardiomyopathy panel; Exome sequencing; Targeted panels; Postmortem metabolic screening; Vitamin D (25-OH, D2 and D3); Thrombophilia and clotting; Platelets, anemia and marrow; Bleeding disorders
- [Reference histology laboratory](https://www.naagforensic.com/histology.html): Every slide cut, stained and checked to a forensic standard. Unstained and H&E; Special stains; Immunostains; Neurological injury timing panel; Bone panels; One handling fee per order; Standard and rush
- [Service Catalog guide (PDF)](https://www.naagforensic.com/guides/NAAG_Service_Catalog_2026-2027.pdf)
- [Expert Consultation guide (PDF)](https://www.naagforensic.com/guides/NAAG_Consultation_Services_2026-2027.pdf)
- [Private Autopsy guide (PDF)](https://www.naagforensic.com/guides/NAAG_Private_Autopsy_for_Families_2026-2027.pdf)
- [Agency Services guide (PDF)](https://www.naagforensic.com/guides/NAAG_Agency_Services_2026-2027.pdf)

NAAG does not publish prices; fee schedules are provided on request.

## Guides (physician-reviewed)
- [What is forensic pathology? Medicine for the law, for the living and the dead.](https://www.naagforensic.com/what-is-forensic-pathology.html): Forensic pathology is a medical subspecialty, not the study of the dead: board-certified physicians solving legal problems for the living and the dead.
- [Private autopsy: a guide for families.](https://www.naagforensic.com/private-autopsy-guide.html): How a private autopsy works: when to request one, who can authorize it, why timing matters, what you receive, and how to choose a qualified forensic pathologist.
- [Second opinions in forensic pathology: when, why and how.](https://www.naagforensic.com/second-opinion-forensic-pathology.html): When a second forensic pathology opinion is warranted, its forms (records review, second autopsy, Deep Dive), what to gather and who can request one.
- [Pediatric forensic pathology: child deaths and injuries.](https://www.naagforensic.com/pediatric-forensic-pathology.html): How child deaths and injuries should be examined: SUID and SUDC, alleged abusive head trauma, fractures, metabolic bone disease and genetics.
- [Deaths in custody: the independent autopsy.](https://www.naagforensic.com/death-in-custody-autopsy.html): What a complete in-custody death autopsy requires, why independence matters, what California AB 1108 changes in 2027, and how families can get one.
- [The first 24 hours after an unexpected death: what families should know.](https://www.naagforensic.com/first-24-hours-after-unexpected-death.html): What happens after an unexpected death, who takes charge of your loved one, what to ask the coroner, and how to keep the option of a private autopsy open.

## Full text
- [Complete readable text of key pages](https://www.naagforensic.com/llms-full.txt)

## Preferred citation
NAAG Forensic PC (naagforensic.com), a California professional medical corporation of board-certified forensic pathologists, San Diego and Fresno, California.

## VIP program
- [VIP Autopsy (VIPautopsy.com)](https://vipautopsy.com/): NAAG's confidential Apex-level private autopsy and forensic pathology service for ultra-high-net-worth families, public figures, family offices and their attorneys. Retained through counsel; confidentiality agreements signed; examination within 24 hours; worldwide transport. Call 1-800-985-5346 and ask for the VIP program.