Coroner's Report

Office of the Yoknapatawpha County Coroner

DATE and HOUR AUTOPSY PERFORMED:
1/2/2024, 2:30 p.m. by

Manish Agarwal, M.D.
555 Jackson Avenue
Oxford, MS 38655
662-234-XXXX (FAX 662-234-XXXX)

 

Assistant:

Victoria Witte, M.D.

 

Full Autopsy Performed

SUMMARY PRELIMINARY REPORT OF AUTOPSY

Name:
 Jared Plunk

Coroner's Case #:
 2024-003

Date of Birth:
 6/12/1977

Age:
 46

Race:
 White

Sex:
 Male

Date of Death:
 1/2/2024

Body Identified by:
 Alison Plunk, victim's spouse

Case #
 000046-02A-2024

Investigative Agency:
 Yoknapatawpha County Sheriff's Department

EVIDENCE OF TREATMENT

N/A

EXTERNAL EXAMINATION - SUMMARY

The autopsy is begun at 2:30 p.m. on January 2, 2024. The body is presented in a black body bag. The victim is wearing a blue jacket, white short-sleeved shirt, blue pants, black socks, and black leather shoes. Both hands are bagged, which was done at the crime scene by the Coroner's Inspector to preserve evidence. Atomic Absorption GSR tests were performed on both hands with negative results.

The body is that of a normally developed white male measuring 70 inches and weighing 165 pounds, and appearing generally consistent with the stated age of 46 years. The body is cold and unembalmed. Lividity is fixed in the posterior of the torso and extremities.

The hair is brown and approximately 3 inches in length. The body hair is male and average. The head is symmetric and the eyes are open. The irises are brown and the pupils measure 0.2 cm. The teeth are natural and well-maintained.

The head is normocephalic, and there is evidence of external traumatic injury. In the left postauricular region is a superficial incised wound to be described below. Otherwise, the eyes, nose, and mouth are unremarkable.

The anterior and posterior torso are symmetric. The chest, abdomen, and back show injuries to be described below.

The pelvis is intact. The genitalia are that of an adult male, and there is no evidence of injury. The penis is circumcised.

The upper and lower extremities are symmetric and normally developed. The right forearm shows injuries to be described below. The hands and nails are clean and evidence no injury.

There are no residual scars, markings, or tattoos.

INTERNAL EXAMINATION - SUMMARY

INTERNAL EVIDENCE OF INJURY: Aside from the stab wounds of the chest, back, and abdomen, there are no other internal traumatic injuries involving the thoracic or abdominal viscera.

CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM: The brain weighs 1,311 grams and has unremarkable meninges. The vasculature of the basilar and cerebral arterial circulatory systems is unremarkable. With the dura removed, the base of the skull is free of fractures.

CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM: The heart weighs 272 grams, and has a normal size and configuration. No evidence of atherosclerosis is present.

RESPIRATORY SYSTEM: The oral cavity shows no lesions. The mucosa is intact, and there are no injuries to the lips, teeth, or gums. There is no obstruction of the airway. The mucosa of the epiglottis, glottis, piriform sinuses, trachea, and major bronchi are anatomic. No injuries and no mucosal lesions are seen. The lungs are unremarkable. The right lung shows basilar atelectasis due to the hemothorax caused by stab wounds described below. Otherwise, the external appearance of the sectioned surface shows no focal lesion. There is no evidence of foreign material, infarction, or neoplasm. The visceral pleura is unremarkable. The lungs weigh: right, 354 grams; left 360 grams.

GASTROINTESTINAL SYSTEM: The mucosa and wall of the esophagus are intact and gray-pink, without lesions or injuries. The gastric mucosa is intact and pink without injury. Approximately 62 ml of partially digested semisolid food is found in the stomach. The pancreas on section is uniform, gray-pink, and moderately firm. The mucosa of the duodenum, jejunum, ileum, colon and rectum are intact. Externally, the small intestine, appendix, and colon are unremarkable.

URINARY SYSTEM: The kidneys weigh: left, 118 grams; right, 121 grams. The kidneys are anatomic in size, shape, and location and are without lesions. The pelvic calyceal system and ureters are unremarkable. The bladder contains 22 cc of urine. With this removed, the bladder wall is unremarkable.

MALE GENITAL SYSTEM: The testes and the penis are anatomic to dissection. The prostate gland is normal. There is no evidence of recent sexual activity.

TOXICOLOGY: Sample of right pleural blood and bile are submitted for toxicologic analysis. Stomach contents are saved.

SEROLOGY: A sample of right pleural blood is submitted in the EDTA tube. Routine toxicologic studies were ordered.

DESCRIPTION OF INJURIES - SUMMARY

BLUNT FORCE INJURIES OF SCALP:

(Injury 1) The scalp is shaved postmortem for visualization. On the right posterior parietal region of the scalp, there is a blunt force wound, diagonally oriented, and after approximation of the edges, it measures 1/4 inch in length with a perpendicularly oriented skin cut at the midpoint.

Depth of penetration is approximately 1/8 to 3/8 inch into the scalp, with associated deep scalp hemorrhage and a subgaleal hemorrhage beneath the wound measuring 2 x 3 inches in transverse diameter.

There is no underlying fracture of the skull or penetration of the cranium.

Opinion: This is a perimortem, non-fatal wound.

MULTIPLE STAB WOUNDS

View 1 – Trajectory of Injury 2
(click to enlarge)
View 2 – Trajectory of Injury 2
(click to enlarge)

(Injury 2) Stab wound of right side of back. The stab wound is located on the right side of the back, 19 inches below the top of the head and 5 inches from the front of the body; it is vertically oriented.

After approximation of the edges, it measures 1-1/2 inches in length; the posterior aspect is dull or flat, measuring 1/32 inch, and the anterior aspect is pointed or tapered.

The pathway is downward into the body at a median angle of 40° through the skin, the subcutaneous tissue, and through the right 4th rib. Thereafter, it enters the lower right pleural cavity, which at the time of autopsy contains approximately 150-200 ml of predominantly liquid blood. Estimated length of the total wound path is 4 inches.

Opinion: This is a fatal wound associated with perforation of the right lung and a hemothorax.

(Injury 3) Incised or cutting wound on left side of the back. This is a diagonally oriented wound measuring 20 cm in length and involves the skin and subcutaneous tissue without penetrating the chest wall or abdominal wall. No square or dull edges are evident. Both ends are rounded or tapered.

Opinion: This is a perimortem, non-fatal wound.

(Injury 4) Stab wound of right side of chest. This wound is located on the right side of the chest, 21 inches below the top of the head and 3 inches from the back of the body. The wound's posterior aspect is dull or flat, measuring 1/32 inch and the anterior aspect is pointed or tapered.

After approximation of the edges, it measures 1-3/4 inches in length and is diagonally oriented. Subsequent autopsy shows that the wound is downward into the body at a median angle of 36° through the skin, the subcutaneous tissue, and the intercostal musculature, and it penetrates into the pleural cavity through the 7th right intercostal space without striking rib.

The direction is right to left with no other angulation or deviation determined because of absence of fixed reference points. Estimated minimum total depth of penetration is 2-3 inches.

Opinion: This is a fatal stab wound associated with perforation of the right lung and hemothorax.

OTHER INJURIES TO HANDS AND UPPER EXTREMITIES

(Injury 5) On the lateral aspect of the right distal forearm, adjacent to the wrist, there is a 3/4 x 1/2 inch abrasion on the ulnar surface. This is a diagonally oriented wound, It measures 3/8 inch in length and involves the skin and subcutaneous tissue. No square or dull edges are evident. Both ends are rounded or tapered.

Opinion: This is a superficial, perimortem non-fatal cutting wound.

LABORATORY DATA

Cerebrospinal fluid culture and sensitivity:

Gram stain: Unremarkable
Culture: No growth after 72 hours

Cerebrospinal fluid bacterial antigens:

Hemophilus influenza B: Negative
Streptococcus pneumoniae: Negative
N. Meningitidis: Negative
Neiserria meningitidis B/E. Coli K1: Negative

Preliminary Toxicological 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   NEG
BLOOD   PCP-ETS   NEG
BLOOD   CARBON MONOXIDE   NEG

Millicent Schmid, Ph.D.
Chief Toxicologist
January 6, 2024

EVIDENCE COLLECTED

1. One (1) men's jacket, blue, size 36R

2. One (1) pair men's pants, blue, size 36W 33L

3. One (1) pair men's shirt, white, size L

4. One (1) pair men's socks, black, size L

5. One (1) pair men's shoes, black, size 10

6. One (1) pair brief style white underwear, size 36W-38W

7. One (1) white handkerchief with initials JP, (left top jacket pocket)

8. One (1) Small black comb

9. One (1) 1 Streamlight Stylus White LED pen light

10. One (1) 1 Uniball pen, black ink

11. One (1) 1 Seiko wristwatch

12. One (1) 1 man's wedding ring

13. One (1) 1 Tic Tac dispenser

14. One (1) 4 white pills in dispenser

15. One (1) key to hotel room

16. One (1) key chain with 6 keys.

17. Samples of Hair, Blood (type B+), Bile, and Tissue (heart, lung, brain, kidney, liver, spleen).

18. Two (2) standard fingerprint cards

19. Fifteen (15) autopsy photographs.

20. One postmortem CT scan.

21. One postmortem MRI.

Clothing and pocket contents, hair samples, blood sample, and one of the fingerprint cards transferred to Crime Lab for further analysis and comparison.

OPINION

Time of Death: Body temperature, rigor and livor mortis, and other factors approximate the time of death between 4:00 a.m. on 1/1/2024 and 7:00 a.m. on 1/2/2024

Cause of Death: Multiple stab wounds.

Manner of Death: Homicide

//Manish Agarwal, M.D.
Yoknapatawpha County Coroner's Office
January 6, 2024

 


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