Through fire and flames: post-burning survival and detection of dismemberment-related toolmarks in cremated cadavers.
Int J Legal Med
; 135(3): 801-815, 2021 May.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-33084995
ABSTRACT
During a homicide investigation in which fire has been used to reduce the size of the cadaver and conceal the evidence of injuries, the identification of perimortem trauma presents a challenge, in particular in cases when the perpetrator has dismembered the body followed by burning the remains. It is therefore important to understand the effects which heat causes on fresh bone. The aim of this paper is to perform a pilot study on the survival ratio of toolmarks in different anatomical regions associated with dismemberment, and a descriptive analysis of the variables that may potentially influence the post-burning survival and detection. To achieve this, three donated embalmed cadavers were used to simulate a case in which an attempted dismemberment and burning had occurred. Fifty-five pre-burning injuries were manually induced 30 using a machete to inflict chopping trauma, and 25 with a serrated bread knife to inflict sharp force trauma, on the thigh, knee, ankle and wrist. The cadavers were cremated in a furnace at Madrid's Cementerio Sur and the burnt remains were analysed at the Laboratorio de Antropología y Odontología Forense of the Universidad Complutense de Madrid. Not all pre-burning injuries inflicted were visible after the cremation process; only 13% were detected in this experiment. Toolmarks can be masked, modified, destroyed or overlooked from the outset of the procedure due to several factors which influence the post-burning survival and detection of toolmarks and contribute to conceal the evidence of trauma. Additional research should be done to study further variables which affect the post-burning visibility of sharp force trauma.
Palavras-chave
Texto completo:
1
Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Ferimentos Penetrantes
/
Osso e Ossos
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Cremação
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Desmembramento de Cadáver
Tipo de estudo:
Diagnostic_studies
/
Prognostic_studies
Limite:
Aged
/
Humans
/
Male
/
Middle aged
País/Região como assunto:
Europa
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Int J Legal Med
Assunto da revista:
JURISPRUDENCIA
Ano de publicação:
2021
Tipo de documento:
Article
País de afiliação:
Espanha