Coroner's report

Office of the Yoknapatawpha County Coroner

DATE and HOUR AUTOPSY PERFORMED:
10/30/2020, 8:00 a.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:
 MILLER, Frederick Vincent

Coroner's Case #:
 2020-319

Date of Birth:
 06/09/1966

Age:
 54

Race:
 White

Sex:
 Male

Date of Death:
 10/29/2020

Body Identified by:
 Caroline Miller, wife

Case #
 004651-29J-2020

Investigative Agency:
 Yoknapatawpha County Sheriff's Department

EVIDENCE OF TREATMENT

 N/A

EXTERNAL EXAMINATION

The autopsy is begun at 8:00 a.m. on October 30, 2020. The body is presented in a black body bag. At the time of examination, the body is clothed in a maroon long-sleeve dress shirt, khaki pants, black dress socks, black dress shoes, and a digital wristwatch. An arrow is protruding through the shirt from the anterior torso just left of the midline below the sternum.

The body is that of a normally developed, well-nourished Caucasian male measuring 73 inches in length, weighing 230 pounds, and appearing generally consistent with the stated age of 53. The body is cold and unembalmed.

The scalp is covered by short (2-inch) gray hair with advanced male pattern baldness. The facial hair is gray and shaved in the style of a mustache and goatee. The body hair is male and average. The head is symmetric.

The eyes are open. The irides are blue and the pupils measure .35cm. The nose and ears are unremarkable. The teeth are natural and well maintained with the exception of gold fillings on the left and right lower molars at the back of the jaw.

The anterior chest and abdomen are symmetric. There is a penetrating sharp force injury below the sternum (Injury #1) to be described below. The abdomen is protuberant, and the pelvis is intact. The external genitalia is male and unremarkable. The anus is atraumatic.

The back is symmetrical and intact. The upper and lower extremities are symmetric, normally developed, and intact.

There are no residual scars, markings, or tattoos evident on the skin.

INTERNAL EXAMINATION – PRELIMINARY SUMMARY

A Victory Buck Buster 60X carbon arrow with a G3 Montec 85 gram broadhead tip was excised from Injury #1 in the anterior torso.

CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM: The brain weighs 1,300 grams and has unremarkable meninges. The vasculature of the basilar and cerebral arterial circulatory system are unremarkable. With the dura removed, the base of the skull is free of fractures.

CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM: The heart weighs 350 grams and has a normal size and configuration. Acute aortic atherosclerosis observed, but unremarkable.

RESPIRATORY SYSTEM: The oral cavity is absent of any lesions. Mucosa is intact and there are no injuries to the lips, teeth, or gums. The airway is free of obstructions. The mucosa of the epiglottis, glottis, piriform sinuses, trachea, and major bronchi are anatomic. No injuries and no mucosal lesions are present. The visceral pleura is unremarkable. The lungs weigh: right, 351 grams, left 353 grams.

GASTROINTESTINAL SYSTEM: The mucosa and wall of the esophagus are intact and gray-pink, free from lesions are any type of injury. The gastric mucosa is intact and pink with the absence of injury. Approximately 50ml 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 and free from injury. Externally the small intestine, appendix, and colon are unremarkable.

URINARY SYSTEM: The kidneys weigh: left 119 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 contained 6cc of urine. With this removed, the bladder wall is unremarkable.

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

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

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

DESCRIPTION OF INJURIES - SUMMARY

(1) Puncture wound measuring 1-inch in diameter and 4-inches in depth in the anterior torso left of the midline resulting from sharp force trauma from a broadhead arrow. The angle of injury is nearly perpendicular to the body at 85 degrees, indicating a slight downward trajectory.

Opinion: This is a non-fatal perimortem injury.

(2) Traumatic transection of the thoracic aorta resulting from sharp force trauma.

Opinion: This is a fatal injury.

(3) Fresh minor abrasions and contusions on the extremities.

Opinion: These are non-fatal perimortem injuries.

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
Neisseria meningitides B/E. Coli K1: Negative

PRELIMINARY TOXICOLOGIC STUDIES

Urine screen {Immunoassay} was NEGATIVE

Blood (Heart) Ethanol: 0.00g/dL
Clinicopathologic Correlation: None

Vitreous Ethanol: 0.00g/dL
Clinicopathologic Correlation: None

Additional analyses pending.

Millicent Schmid, Ph.D.
Chief Toxicologist
November 6, 2020

EVIDENCE COLLECTED

1. Samples of Blood (type O+), Urine, Bile, and Tissue (heart, lung, brain, kidney, liver, spleen)

2. Stomach contents

3. Six (6) autopsy photographs

4. Two (2) postmortem x-rays

5. One (1) postmortem CT scan

6. One (1) postmortem MRI

7. One (1) men's button-up, long-sleeve dress shirt, maroon, size XL

8. One (1) pair men's pants, khaki, size 40W, 32L

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

10. One (1) pair men's dress shoes, black, size 12

11. One (1) Victory Buck Buster 60X carbon arrow with a G3 Montec 85 gram broadhead

11. One (1) Digital men's wristwatch

Clothing, personal effects, stomach contents, biological samples, and arrow transferred to Mississippi State Crime Lab for further analysis.

OPINION

Time of Death: Rigor and livor mortis, in addition to body temperature and other factors, indicate an estimated time of death of between 8:00 and 9:00 p.m. on 10/29/2020.

Immediate Cause of Death: Exsanguination due to traumatic aortic transection resulting from sharp force injury to the anterior chest.

Contributing Conditions: None

Manner of Death: Homicide

 

//Manish Agarwal, M.D.
Yoknapatawpha County Coroner's Office
November 6, 2020


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