In Leyland, Lancashire, 24-year-old Michael Lees-Maddock is found collapsed in his bedroom. Despite attempts to revive him, he is pronounced dead at the scene. With no obvious explanation for the sudden death of an apparently healthy young man, the case is referred for further investigation.
A post-mortem CT scan, including detailed X-rays of the entire body, initially points towards fatty liver disease. But the finding fails to fully explain what happened. As the coroner orders a more detailed examination of Michael's medical history, forensic specialists investigate whether an underlying condition could have gone undetected.
The investigation raises questions about how a rare medical disorder might present and whether specialist testing can uncover the real cause of an unexpected death.
Meanwhile, in nearby Rivington, police are faced with a very different forensic challenge. A man has been found dead in a field in suspicious circumstances, with no identification, no obvious witnesses and heavy rain potentially destroying crucial evidence.
DI Paul Price of Lancashire Constabulary begins piecing together the evidence. With little to work with, investigators turn to forensic pathology, a Home Office post-mortem, forensic artistry and DNA analysis.
As the investigation expands from Lancashire to Europe, every available clue is examined in the search for the unidentified man's name - and the evidence needed to establish what happened to him.
