Coroner's Summary Report - victim #1

 

Office of the Yoknapatawpha County Coroner

DATE and HOUR AUTOPSY PERFORMED:
07/11/2021 8:30 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 REPORT OF AUTOPSY

Name:
PRUITT, Robert Alfred

Coroner's Case #:
2021-77

Date of Birth:
4/23/1982

Age:
39

Race:
White

Sex:
Male

Date of Death:
07/09/2021

Body Identified by:
Vanessa Pruitt, wife of the deceased

Case #
003189-10G-2021

Investigative Agency:
Yoknapatawpha County Sheriff's Department

EVIDENCE OF TREATMENT

N/A

EXTERNAL EXAMINATION - SUMMARY

The autopsy is begun at 8:30 A.M. on July 11, 2021. The body is presented in a black body bag. The victim is wearing a blue long-sleeved dress shirt, khaki pants, and brown slippers. Both hands are bagged, which was done at the crime scene by the Coroner's Inspector to preserve evidence.

The body is that of a normally developed, well-nourished white male measuring 70 inches and weighing 192 pounds, and appearing generally consistent with the stated age of thirty-nine years. The body is cold and unembalmed. Lividity is fixed in the left side 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 0.4 cm. The teeth are natural and well-maintained. A reddish-purple contusion with mild abrasion is present in the area of the left cheekbone (Injury #1), to be described below.

The anterior chest and abdomen are symmetric and there is evidence of a distant gunshot wound in the thoracic region (Injury #2). A reddish-purple contusion is present in the area of the left rib cage (Injury #3), to be described below. The back is symmetrical and intact. The genitalia is that of an adult male, and there is no evidence of injury.

The upper and lower extremities are equal, symmetrically developed, and show no evidence of injury. Atomic Absorption GSR tests were performed on both hands with positive results.

There are no residual scars, markings, or tattoos.

INTERNAL EXAMINATION - SUMMARY

Multiple lacerations are observed penetrating the stomach, muscle tissue, and blood vessels of the chest cavity including the aorta, consistent with bullet impact and surrounding bone fragment penetration, originating at the bullet point of entry (Injury #2) in a classic wound channel formation. A .38 caliber bullet was retrieved from the T11 vertebrae and preserved as evidence.

CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM: The brain weighs 1,315 grams and has unremarkable meninges. The vasculature of the basilar and cerebral arterial circulatory systems are unremarkable. With the dura removed, the base of the skull is free of fractures.

CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM: The heart weighs 261 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 visceral pleura is unremarkable. The lungs weigh: right, 349 grams; left 352 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 75 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, 117 grams; right, 120 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 8 cc 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 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

Click to enlarge

(1) Contusion on left cheekbone approximately 1.5 inches from the nose, measuring approximately 1 inch by 1.75 inches

Opinion: This is a non-fatal perimortem injury.

(2) Entry puncture wound consistent with a gunshot to the anterior thorax, penetrating the body of the stomach, muscle tissue, and blood vessels of the chest cavity with the bullet coming to rest in the T11 vertebrae.

Opinion: This is a fatal injury.

(3) Contusion on the left rib cage approximately 4 inches from the midline spanning ribs 9 and 10, measuring approximately 2 inches by 1.25 inches

Opinion: This is a non-fatal perimortem injury.

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

Drug Screen Results:

Urine screen {Immunoassay} was NEGATIVE.
Ethanol: 0 gm/dl, Blood (Heart)
Ethanol: 0 gm/dl, Vitreous

Millicent Schmid, Ph.D.
Chief Toxicologist
July 13, 2021

EVIDENCE COLLECTED

1. One (1) men's dress shirt, blue, long-sleeved, size 17/34

2. One (1) pair men's khaki pants, size 36W 30L

3. One (1) pair men's slippers, brown, size 10-1/2

4. One (1) pair men's boxer-style underwear, blue, size L

5. One (1) .38 caliber bullet

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

7. Two (2) Standard Fingerprint Cards

8. Seven (7) autopsy photographs.

9. One postmortem CT scan.

10. One postmortem MRI.

Clothing and pocket contents, bullet, hair sample, 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 stomach contents approximate the time of death between 8:00 and 10:00 P.M. on 07/09/2021.

Immediate Cause of Death: Gunshot wound

Manner of Death: Homicide

//Manish Agarwal, M.D.
Yoknapatawpha County Coroner's Office
July 13, 2021


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