Dr. Death: The Horrifying Story of Christopher Duntsch
Peacock’s miniseries Dr. Death focuses on a neurosurgeon who has a disturbing practice of mutilating patients. Although the horror story that will be shown on screen may seem familiar, it is actually based on the real-life case of Dr. Christopher Daniel Duntsch. It is an intense, disturbing show that is based on true events.
Christopher Duntsch is the actual name of Dr. Death. Continue reading to find out more about this insane doctor, who, in two years, had injured 33 patients and was sentenced to life imprisonment.
The Origins of Dr. Death
Christopher Duntsch knew he had a bright future when he was growing up. His drive, determination, and arrogance were evident in his high school and college football careers. He managed to convince the coaches that he was not good enough to be on the team. After realizing that a football career wasn’t for him, he decided to study medicine.
Duntsch enrolled at the University of Tennessee at Memphis College for their M.D./Ph.D. program. He was a hard worker on patents, academic papers, and startups in biotech. After completing his neurosurgery residency, he was awarded a fellowship in spine surgery. This was when his career began to take shape. Duntsch was an admired doctor who appeared to be on the rise, but there was another side to him.
Duntsch’s Lifestyle Problems
Many claims that Duntsch was addicted to substances and had a hard-partying lifestyle. His favorite cocktail was vodka and cocaine, and there were many complaints about his behavior. Duntsch was clever in his escape from trouble. Duntsch enrolled in a program for candidates at high risk of liability. He skipped the drug test entirely.
In addition to the drugs, Wendy Young was also a strip-club dancer. Many women found Duntsch magnetic and attracted their attention. Wendy believed he was a top-notch doctor or lawyer. However, this was false, as Duntsch was still in school. He was a good friend, and they started a relationship. But she didn’t know Duntsch owed half a million dollars to his father and the school.
Financial Incentives
Duntsch had a genuine interest, despite his difficulties, in medicine and was fascinated by research. Duntsch decided to become an ophthalmologist because money was his main motivation, especially considering the debt burden. After completing school, the Baylor Regional Medical Center offered him $600,000. This was his starting salary. He and Wendy then moved to Dallas, where he started his career.
Wendy became pregnant shortly after their move and gave birth to a baby girl. Duntsch was having an affair with Kimberly Morgan, which is not surprising. Duntsch told her that Wendy was a friend and she was his assistant at the hospital. He told Wendy that Kimberly was also a friend. Duntsch’s web deceit only got bigger.
A Look Into Duntsch’s Mind
Duntsch gave Kimberly a disturbing glimpse into his mind during their relationship. He continued sharing his distorted views of the world and his thoughts. He was compared to Einstein and the Antichrist and was called an Empire Builder. These emails showed Duntsch’s egomania. He saw himself as someone with a brilliant vision who could make an impact by killing people.
Murder would have had to wait. But Duntsch found victims to perform botched operations on. His good friend Jerry Summers visited him to relieve his neck pain.