|
EVIDENCE OF TREATMENT
N/A
EXTERNAL EXAMINATION - SUMMARY
The autopsy is begun at 8:30 A.M. on March 16,
2005. The body is presented in a black body bag admixed with
fragments of collapsed and burnt construction debris and body
tissues.
The body is the charred remains of an adult white male measuring 72 inches (residual) and weighing 142 pounds (residual).
Focally burnt, blackened and fragmented clothing items include:
sweater, shirt, trousers, and underpants. In addition, yellow metal
ring was recovered from the left hand.
The head is partially collapsed with detached and partially charred
scalp. The detached scalp consists of short brown hair. The charred
anterior scalp presents prominent heat lacerations across the
frontal area in a horizontal orientation. Gunshot wound of the right
occipital is present, described below. There is extensive
fragmentation and bone loss of both the parietals. The facial
features are markedly disfigured due to charring and blackening.
There is singing of hair of the eyelids and eyebrows. Nasal cavities
contain a large amount of blood and there is a single gunshot wound
of the midline involving the septum, described below. Oral cavity
presents natural teeth with good oral hygiene. Protrusion of tongue
is noted. Ears are absent.
Both face and neck are
extensively charred but present essentially intact mandible and
hyoid although the mid-segment of the extra thoracic trachea and the
attached esophagus are partially destroyed.
Chest and abdomen show
significant heat damage. The chest wall shows similar areas of intense
soft tissue damage. All the vertebrae, left and right ribs and the
two scapulae are present. The left upper extremity is extensively
charred but presents essentially intact. The right upper extremity
consists of a heat-fractured humerus and attached
charred soft tissue as well as attached remnant of
right distal arm including heat-fractured radius and ulna. Lower
extremities are burned and charred but remain intact to mid-foot. Charred male
external genitalia are present. Back presents global charring.
INTERNAL EXAMINATION - SUMMARY
CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM: The brain weighs
862 grams presenting cooked cerebral hemispheres encased within an
intact dura interrupted only at the site of bullet injury. Focal
areas of postmortem heat-related left epidural hematoma is present.
Brainstem along with the Circle of Willis is totally disrupted with
diffuse basal hemorrhage and hematoma and posterior fossa hematoma
weighing 43 grams. On coronal sectioning of the brain, the
ventricular system contains hemorrhagic fluid.
CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM: The heart weighs
259
grams, and has a normal size and configuration. Cardiac valves and
coronary ostia are anatomic and unremarkable. No evidence of
atherosclerosis or gross ischemic changes of recent or remote origin
are present.
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM: Neck presents extensive
heat damage with destruction of soft tissues as well as mid-segment
of trachea and esophagus. Cervical spine is in the midline and
essentially unremarkable. Hyoid bone and larynx are relatively well
preserved with intact epiglottis. Both lungs present significant
cancerous growth. The lungs weigh: left, 392
grams; right 404 grams.
GASTROINTESTINAL SYSTEM: Extra thoracic
esophagus is partially charred in the region of tracheal damage with
the rest of the esophagus and stomach intact. The
small intestine, colon and rectum are diffusely charred and focally incinerated.
Appendix is identified and reveals heat-related injury.
URINARY SYSTEM: The kidneys weigh: left,
103
grams; right, 99 grams. The kidneys are anatomic in size, shape and
location and are without lesions. The pelvic calyceal system and
ureters are unremarkable. The bladder is devoid of urine.
MALE GENITAL SYSTEM: The testes and penis
present significant charring. The prostate gland is unremarkable.
DESCRIPTION OF INJURIES - SUMMARY
(1) Entry gunshot wound of the right
posterior head at the right occipital bone (GSW #1)
Description: Wound is localized to the
right lower occipital area, approximately 1.5 cms right of the
external occipital protuberant. Overlying scalp is charred and
missing. The defect is circular and presents a smooth surface on
the outer table with a diameter of 1.0 cm. The inner table is
beveled and has a diameter of 1.2 cms. There is blackening at
the superior margin of the defect, related most probably to
charring. Two radiating fractures are present, the first
directed laterally into the charred defect of right parietal
bone and the second radiating for a distance of 2.8 cms from
lower right of defect to the right occipital condyle.
Subsequent examination and autopsy reveals
that the projectile has traveled in a back to front direction,
slightly medially, transecting the brainstem, through the
cribriform plate and making an exit through GSW #2.
Opinion: This is a fatal injury.
(2) Exit gunshot wound of nose (GSW #2)
Description: Wound is located within the
midline of the nose at the septum, which is torn and is
surrounded by dark coagulated blood extending deep into the
recesses of the nasal cavities as well as into the maxillary
sinuses.
Associated with the path of the
projectile, there is a massive craniocerebral trauma. The
calvarium presents, in addition to the injury described above, a
radiating fracture to the posterior vomer, left orbital roof and
the left frontal bone. Furthermore, there is fracture of left
maxilla noted. There are no projectile fragments recovered at
autopsy.
Opinion: This is a fatal
injury.
(3) Global charring with extensive body
mutilation
Opinion: This is a postmortem injury.
LABORATORY DATA
Preliminary Toxicology Test Results:
| BLOOD |
|
ETHANOL |
|
NEG |
| BLOOD |
|
CANNABINOIDS-ETS |
|
NEG |
| BLOOD |
|
COCAINE-ETS |
|
NEG |
| BLOOD |
|
OPIATES-ETS |
|
NEG |
| BLOOD |
|
AMPHETAMINE-ETS |
|
NEG |
| BLOOD |
|
BARBITURATE -ETS |
|
NEG |
| BLOOD |
|
BENZODIAZEPINE-ETS |
|
NEG |
| BLOOD |
|
METHADONE-ETS |
|
POS |
| BLOOD |
|
PCP-ETS |
|
NEG |
| BLOOD |
|
CARBON MONOXIDE |
|
NEG |
Further analyses to establish toxin levels are
in progress.
Millicent Schmid, Ph.D.
Chief Toxicologist
March 23, 2005
EVIDENCE COLLECTED
1. Samples of Blood, Bile, and
Tissue (heart, lung, brain, kidney, liver, spleen).
2. Eleven (11) autopsy photographs.
3. Residual clothing for trace evidence
analysis
OPINION
Cause of Death: Craniocerebral trauma due to gunshot wound of head
Manner of Death: Homicide
COMMENTS
Autopsy was performed on a rush basis at
the request of the Yoknapatawpha County Sheriff's Department and
the Yoknapatawpha County District Attorney. Findings presented
here are preliminary and subject to revision at a later date,
particularly concerning toxicological analysis. Some analysis
results were not available as of this date as more time is
required to complete the analyses.
//Manish Agarwal, M.D.
Yoknapatawpha County Coroner's Office
March 24, 2005
|
