Nutshell Studies of Unexplained Death

[2]​ Frances Glessner diseñó detalladísimos modelos a escala de auténticas escenas del crimen, que utilizaba como herramienta pedagógica y de investigación.

Sus estudiantes observaban la escena y debían extraer conclusiones a partir de las evidencias presentadas.

En 1966 se disolvió el departamento, y los dioramas fueron enviados a la oficina forense del estado de Baltimore (estado de Maryland) donde permanecen como préstamo a perpetuidad.

Según informa el Harvard Magazine, los dioramas aún se usan como material pedagógico.

The Nutshell Studies of Unexplained Death, de la fotógrafa Corinne May Botz

Description of events & information that accompany the Red Bedroom diorama: Reported to Nutshell Laboratories, Thursday, 29 de junio de 1944. Marie Jones, a prostitute, was discovered dead by her landlady, Mrs. Shirley Flanagan. Mrs. Shirley Flanagan was questioned and gave the following statement: On the morning of Thursday, 29 de junio de 1944, she passed the open door of Marie’s room and called out “hello”. When she did not receive a response, she looked in and found the conditions as shown in the model. Jim Green, a boyfriend and client of Marie’s, had come in with Marie the afternoon before. Mrs. Flanagan didn’t know when he had left. As soon as she found Marie’s body she telephoned the police who later found Mr. Green and brought him in for questioning. Mr. Green gave the following statement to police: He met Marie on the sidewalk the afternoon of June 28, and walked with her to a nearby package store where he bought two bottles of whiskey. They then went to her room where they sat smoking and drinking for some time. Marie, sitting in the big chair, got very drunk. Suddenly, without any warning, she grabbed his open jackknife which he had used to cut the string around the package containing the bottles. She ran into the closet and shut the door. When he opened the door he found her lying as represented by the model. He left the house immediately after that.