A crime scene investigator who has worked more than 3,000 deaths uses his own blood on social media to teach the world how to approach the job.
Jeffrey Gentry, 40, is a certified bloodstain pattern analyst and death investigator who spends his days inspecting blood splatter at real-life crime scenes.
In his downtime, Gentry utilizes social media and online classes to teach others about his passion.
He is one of only 60 International Association for Identification (IAI) certified bloodstain pattern analysts in the world.
Gentry's professional history also includes roles as an ABMDI certified deputy coroner death investigator, forensic toxicology analyst and forensic autopsy technician.
He has investigated and prepared reports for more than 3,000 deaths over his career, including murders, motor vehicle accidents, overdoses and suicides.
Hailing from Fresno, California, Gentry began his journey in death investigation in 2005, when he began working as a mortician's assistant.
Gentry has a science background, with a bachelor's degree in biochemistry and molecular biology and associate degrees in life science, mathematics and liberal arts.
He believes his background in science, combined with his investigative experience, made him perfect for the notoriously difficult career as a bloodstain pattern analyst.
Gentry said: "When I was younger I was always interested in medicine, science and all things unique and morbid.
"While raising my son alone and supporting myself through college, I developed an interest in forensic science.
"Years ago, a college professor and colleague suggested that I look into bloodstain pattern analysis.
"I worked very hard to meet the requirements of a certified bloodstain pattern analyst.
"When I did, I applied and became certified...the rest is history!"
The requirements for becoming an IAI certified analyst include a hard science background, strict training requirements and extensive scene and investigative experience.
Gentry has a passion for blood analysis and crime scene investigation; his certifications are independent of his degree and work, and were self-funded and on his own time.
His training, education and certification cost him thousands of dollars of his own money.
He said: "I agree with the tough bloodstain pattern analysis certification requirements - these strict requirements ensure the best standard of practice.
"My work is very rewarding and has allowed me the opportunity to travel and meet many wonderful and experienced investigators.
"Death investigation and forensics require dedication and personal sacrifice - you must set aside personal obligations and give full attention to the investigation."
"The work days can be long and present themselves at unexpected times. It is not uncommon to work on a case for 10 to 15 hours straight.
"Then, after you get some sleep, you go right back to working the case.
"You never know when you are going to get the next call and once you do, you must drop everything and respond."
Gentry emphasized that, despite the stressful nature of his work, it can be so personally rewarding to provide a voice for those who no longer have that opportunity.
His work has also inspired him to begin teaching through the Death Investigation Training Academy, where he runs a four-hour, online blood pattern analysis course, geared toward crime scene investigators and law enforcement officers.
However, his course is available to all as he hopes that sharing his experiences will inspire the next generation of crime scene investigators.
Gentry decided that he would begin posting funny and educational content on social media with the hopes of providing the younger generation of true crime followers with access to reliable and educational content.
He started posting videos on YouTube, Facebook and - his favorite - TikTok in November, where he has since amassed an audience of over 80,000 followers.
"Before November, I did not have a single social media account," he said.
"The hardest part is creating educational content in a way that keeps people's attention.
"I do many of my blood experiments at my own home so it is really funny when people come over to visit.
"My house, bathroom, garage and driveway, have all been covered in blood!"
Gentry, his wife and his three kids enjoy watching videos together to get new ideas and to follow the latest trends.
His videos use a simple, practical approach to show the various tools and methods that he uses to identify blood stains and patterns. He also likes to use his daughter's Barbie dolls to recreate crime scenes and display how different patterns can be created.
Gentry hopes his videos may one day inspire a young person to pursue a career in forensic science, investigations or even bloodstain pattern analysis.
"Teaching inspired me to post information about what I do online.
"I try to keep it normal and humorous so people can watch the videos and learn the science stuff without needing to pay or access higher education.
"I think it is great that people who watch my videos are learning something new without even realizing it!
"The comments are great - I even like the negative comments.
"They make me smile thinking that even though that person posted a negative comment they still watched my content and had to think to generate a reply."
This story was provided to Newsweek by Zenger News.
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