In this episode of Pushing Up Lilies, I’m covering the mysterious death of Spencer Irwin, a 30-year-old Fresno City College student whose body was discovered behind a business loading dock in Fresno, California, in August of 2024. What initially appeared to authorities to be a tragic but straightforward case quickly became something far more complicated. Spencer was found naked, with no obvious signs of trauma, and early assumptions pointed toward a drug overdose or transient-related death. But toxicology reports later came back clean. No overdose. No clear explanation. And despite the unanswered questions surrounding his death, the coroner ultimately ruled it “natural causes.” What makes this case especially unsettling is what didn’t happen. No autopsy was performed.And Spencer’s body was cremated. As a forensic death investigator, I discuss the difficult reality of cases that fall into gray areas, where evidence is limited, assumptions are made early, and families are left searching for answers long after a case is considered closed. Because sometimes the hardest part of an investigation…is not what we know. It’s what we don’t. This episode contains discussion of death, investigative uncertainty, and unresolved circumstances surrounding the case. Listener discretion is advised. EPISODE TRANSCRIPT: 00:06 Welcome to Pushing Up Lilies. I’m your host, Julie Mattson. Pushing Up Lilies is a weekly true crime podcast with spine-tingling, unusual, and terrifyingly true stories from my perspective as a forensic death investigator and a sexual assault nurse examiner.  00:24 Do I have some stories for you? Are you ready? Hey guys, Julie here with Pushing Up Willies. Wanted to reach out and thank everybody again who came to our sip and solve event for the True Crime Club at McCart Street Mercantile this past week.  00:46 It was so much fun. We played crime or no crime and then a great icebreaker. We went around the room and talked about what our last meal request would be if we were on death row. So, it was really interesting to kind of hear what people’s answers were.  01:03 And most people responded with meals that brought them comfort when they were a child, which I found really interesting. And mine was potato salad, coconut cream pie, and chicken and dumplings, because my grandma used to make the best chicken and dumplings.  01:22 My mom used to make potato salad for me every time I was sick, and coconut cream pie is just my favorite. It was kind of fun to hear what everybody had to say. We did decide at the next meeting that we are probably going to dress as a serial killer.  01:41 And then we are going to cook one of the serial killers’ last meals that are in the death row cookbook that I sell in my merch shop. And we’re going to try to guess whose last meal it was. So that’ll be kind of fun.  01:58 Tiana, that owns our blended table, she also owns a food truck. She’s going to put together that meal for us. And so, I think it’ll be so much fun. So, if you love true crime and you love being around other people who love true crime and you want to have a good time, keep an eye out for our next event.  02:17 Again, Sip and Solve and it’s the True Crime Club. You can find it on Facebook. We’ll probably have monthly events maybe every couple of months. Look forward to seeing you there. We had a whole new group of people this time.  02:34 It’s a lot of fun. They had some special drinks. The one I had was embalming fluid and actually it was delicious. Non-alcoholic. We just had a great time. And heavenly encourage you to come out if you enjoy that kind of thing.  02:49 I’m super excited that CrimeCon is, it’s in 10 days, y’all. I cannot believe it. All my merchandise has arrived at the warehouse there. So, we will be leaving to head that direction on the 28th. Again, it’s at Caesar’s Palace, May 29th through 31st.  03:08 And I’m super excited. I’m so glad to be a part of it. Hopefully next year it can get on Creator’s Row, but this year I’m in exhibitor hall, booth 62. So, if you come to Vegas, come by and visit with me.  03:21 I also have my limited edition comic books there. And so, I’m super excited to roll those out so that y’all can see them. A lot going on. Tonight’s episode is kind of one of those stories that leaves more questions than answers.  03:36 It’s the kind that frustrates families and investigators and honestly anybody who even hears it. Because when a young person disappears under suspicious circumstances and then later turns up dead, people naturally expect a thorough investigation.  03:53 They want answers and they definitely want accountability, but sometimes families are left fighting for those answers themselves. This is the story of Spencer Irwin. Now, Spencer was a 30-year-old college student from Fresno, California, whose mother says he was dismissed, overlooked, and misjudged almost immediately after he was found dead.  04:18 And tonight I want to walk through this case chronologically, and I want to also discuss the forensic and investigative concerns that stand out to me as an investigator. So, on the morning of July 28th, 2024, Spencer Irwin spoke with his mother, Kelly, like he normally did.  04:40 According to reports, the two were very close. She described talking to him every single day and even meeting him for lunch between his classes at Fresno City College. Spencer was 30 years old and reportedly living in an apartment near McKinley Avenue in Fresno.  04:59 And so that Sunday morning seemed very routine. At some point during the conversation, Spencer reportedly told his mother that he was walking to the intersection of Shaw and Mark’s to get a new phone.  05:14 And so, he had apparently called her using someone else’s phone because his own