Forensic scientist and professor emeritus Dr. Henry C. Lee died Friday at his home in Nevada, the University of New Haven announced. He was 87.

Dr. Lee began his career at the university in a small classroom, and, over his 51 years as part of the campus, founded its forensic science program in 1975. He also founded the Henry C. Lee Institute of Forensic Science, a 15,000 square foot facility that houses one of the biggest forensic science facilities in the country.

“A remarkable individual, Dr. Lee’s contributions to our University as well as forensic science and law enforcement are extraordinary and unmatched,” said university president Jens Frederiksen in an email statement announcing Lee’s death to the university community.

Dr. Lee’s contributions to forensics go beyond the limits of the university. With a career spanning more than 65 years, Dr. Lee served as a forensics expert in all 50 states and more than 46 countries.

Dr. Lee served as chief criminalist for the state of Connecticut for more than 20 years, director of the Connecticut State Police Forensic Science Laboratory for 22 years and commissioner of the state’s Department of Public Safety and Connecticut State Police for two years. While he did not hold another formal role after 2000, he was given the honorary title of chief emeritus for the state of Connecticut’s Division of Scientific Services from 2000 to 2010.

Dr. Lee was most known for his testimony in O.J. Simpson’s defense, and worked on a number of high profile cases, including the murder of JonBenét Ramsey, the kidnapping of Elizabeth Smart and the Helle Crafts woodchipper murder.

Earlier in his career, court authorities questioned Dr. Lee’s involvement in two cases, the 2007 murder trial of the record producer Phil Spector, and in a trial for the 1985 murder of a New Milford man. In both cases, Dr. Lee denied any wrongdoing, though the state of Connecticut paid $25.2 million to two men who’d spent decades in jail based in part on Dr. Lee’s testimony for the 1985 crime.

Dr. Lee spent his final days finalizing a book about missing-persons investigations which is expected to be published in the near future.