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Manifold BM. When missing becomes murder: An analysis of missing-femicide cases from the Republic of Ireland. MEDICINE, SCIENCE, AND THE LAW 2024:258024241265060. [PMID: 39042922 DOI: 10.1177/00258024241265060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/25/2024]
Abstract
Many femicide cases are initially reported as missing persons to the police. Women who go missing have a greater risk of being a victim of homicide. This study explores the circumstances surrounding the disappearance and killing of women and girls in the Republic of Ireland from 1962 to 2023. A total of fifty-four cases were analysed, 52 cases were homicides. Most femicides occurred during 1990-1999 (n = 13; 24%) and 2000-2009 (n = 17; 32%). Twenty-five victims knew the offender and the leading cause of death was strangulation with 27 cases. Dumping/leaving the body on open ground with little or no concealment was the predominant method of disposal. The leading risk factors were the engagement of the victim in a fight or row before disappearance and domestic violence. The 'suicide narrative' should be treated with extreme caution in the disappearance of women.
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2
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Raniero D, Schiraldi M, Ausania F, Turrina S, De Leo D. When fire burns the evidence - Lesson 1: It is not always what it seems. Leg Med (Tokyo) 2024; 70:102483. [PMID: 39029292 DOI: 10.1016/j.legalmed.2024.102483] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2024] [Revised: 03/18/2024] [Accepted: 07/08/2024] [Indexed: 07/21/2024]
Abstract
When a charred corpse is found, a primary unavoidable phase of the subject's identification is performed. Then, the medico-legal investigation must clarify whether the charring occurred before or after death, and so establish a differential diagnosis between accidental, homicidal, or suicidal modality. We report three cases of charred corpses in which a death dynamic was initially suspected but subsequently disproved: a suicidal intoxication in arson at first thought to be homicidal strangulation, a suicidal hanging revealed by neck haemorrhages in a suspected accidental fire, a femicide through ligature strangulation concealed with the simulation of a car accident. Many of the events are accidental, related to fires or traffic accidents. However, it must be considered that charring following a murder was deliberately provoked to prevent the identification of the subject and to conceal evidence of how the murder occurred. Because of the complex operational conditions in the study of a charred corpse, all the diagnostic tools proper to forensic science should be held beyond the preliminary circumstantial suggestions. We aim to emphasise the importance of a multidisciplinary approach since the solution of the three cases was possible thanks to the combination of crime scene investigation, radiological exams, autopsy, and histopathological and genetic analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dario Raniero
- Department of Diagnostics and Public Health, Section of Forensic Medicine, University of Verona, P.le L.A. Scuro 10, 37134 Verona, Italy.
| | - Michela Schiraldi
- Department of Medical and Surgical Specialties, Radiological Sciences and Public Health, Forensic Medicine Unit, ASST Spedali Civili of Brescia, P.le Spedali Civili 1, 25123 Brescia, Italy
| | - Francesco Ausania
- Department of Diagnostics and Public Health, Section of Forensic Medicine, University of Verona, P.le L.A. Scuro 10, 37134 Verona, Italy
| | - Stefania Turrina
- Department of Diagnostics and Public Health, Section of Forensic Medicine, University of Verona, P.le L.A. Scuro 10, 37134 Verona, Italy
| | - Domenico De Leo
- Department of Diagnostics and Public Health, Section of Forensic Medicine, University of Verona, P.le L.A. Scuro 10, 37134 Verona, Italy
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3
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Alluhayb AH, Severance C, Hendry-Hofer T, Bebarta VS, Logue BA. Can the cyanide metabolite, 2-aminothiazoline-4-carboxylic acid, be used for forensic verification of cyanide poisoning? Forensic Toxicol 2024; 42:221-231. [PMID: 38739353 PMCID: PMC11269370 DOI: 10.1007/s11419-024-00690-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2023] [Accepted: 04/17/2024] [Indexed: 05/14/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE Forensic verification of cyanide (CN) poisoning by direct CN analysis in postmortem blood is challenging due to instability of CN in biological samples. CN metabolites, thiocyanate (SCN-) and 2-aminothiazoline-4-carboxylic acid (ATCA), have been proposed as more stable biomarkers, yet it is unclear if either is appropriate for this purpose. In this study, we evaluated the behavior of CN biomarkers in postmortem swine and postmortem blood to determine which serves as the best biomarker of CN exposure. METHODS CN, SCN-, and ATCA were measured in postmortem swine (N = 8) stored at 4 °C and postmortem blood stored at 25 °C (room temperature, RT) and 37 °C (typical human body temperature, HBT). RESULTS Following CN poisoning, the concentration of each CN biomarker increased well above the baseline. In postmortem swine, CN concentrations declined rapidly (t1/2 = 34.3 h) versus SCN- (t1/2 = 359 h, 15 days) and ATCA (t1/2 = 544 h, 23 days). CN instability in postmortem blood increased at RT (t1/2 = 10.7 h) and HBT (t1/2 = 6.6 h). SCN- and ATCA were more stable than CN at all storage conditions. In postmortem swine, the t1/2s of SCN- and ATCA were 15 and 23 days, respectively. While both the t1/2s of SCN- and ATCA were relatively lengthy, endogenous levels of SCN- were much more variable than ATCA. CONCLUSION While there are still questions to be answered, ATCA was the most adept forensic marker of CN poisoning (i.e., ATCA produced the longest half-life, the largest increase above baseline levels, and most stable background concentrations).
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdullah H Alluhayb
- Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Physics, Avera Health and Science Center, South Dakota State University, 1055 Campanile Ave, Box 2202, Brookings, SD, 57007, USA
- Department of Chemistry, College of Science, Qassim University, Box 1162, Buraidah, 51452, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Carter Severance
- Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Tara Hendry-Hofer
- Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Vikhyat S Bebarta
- Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Brian A Logue
- Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Physics, Avera Health and Science Center, South Dakota State University, 1055 Campanile Ave, Box 2202, Brookings, SD, 57007, USA.
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4
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Abstract
ABSTRACT A study was undertaken at Forensic Science SA, Adelaide, South Australia, of all cases of homicide (January 2003-December 2022) where the victims' bodies had been concealed. Three hundred twenty-six homicides were identified, which included 27 cases where bodies had been deliberately hidden (8%) (age range, 2-82 years; ave, 34.9 years; M:F = 1.5:1). Deaths were due to blunt force trauma (n = 11), sharp force trauma (n = 4), asphyxia (n = 4), gunshot wound (n = 2), and a combination of drowning and asphyxia (n = 1). In 5 cases, the cause of death was not determinable. The methods of concealment (which were sometimes overlapping) included the following: dumping at a hidden/isolated location (n = 8), burial (n = 7), dismembering (n = 3), incinerating (n = 3), hiding in a wheeled garbage bin (n = 2), disposing in garbage resulting in the remains being located at waste disposal facilities (n = 2), hiding in a shed (n = 1), under a concrete floor (n = 1), in a suitcase (n = 1), in a river (n = 1), in a mine shaft (n = 1), and in a septic tank (n = 1). Although it has been asserted that concealed homicides are rarely encountered in forensic practice, the current study has demonstrated that the bodies in at least 8% of victims of homicide in South Australia have undergone some form of concealment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roger W Byard
- From the Forensic Science SA and the School of Biomedicine, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia
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5
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Simonit F, Da Broi U, Giudici F, Sciarappa OE, Innocenti D, Desinan L. Autopsy findings in fire deaths in relation to manner of death: Analysis of autopsy records in Friuli, Italy (1993-2020). Leg Med (Tokyo) 2024; 67:102372. [PMID: 38154314 DOI: 10.1016/j.legalmed.2023.102372] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2023] [Accepted: 12/20/2023] [Indexed: 12/30/2023]
Abstract
The determination of the cause and manner of death can be particularly difficult in burned and charred bodies and autopsy remains a key element in the investigation. In this study, 39 autopsy records of fire deaths were reviewed in relation to the manner of death (25 accidents, 8 suicides, 3 homicides and 3 instances in which the manner of death remained undetermined). The analysis focused on the study of the burns, the degree to which the bodies were consumed by fire and the evidence of signs of vital exposure to fire and of non-fire-related injuries. Total surface body area (TBSA) was found to be significantly higher (p = 0.02) in suicides than in accidents. Moreover, the degree of destruction according to the Crow-Glassman Scale and the presence of a pugilistic posture tended to be higher in suicides compared to accidental deaths, whereas such parameters were found to be variable in homicides. With regard to the anatomical distribution of burns, in contrast with the literature, the feet were affected by burning in all suicides, with a significantly higher prevalence than in accidents (p < 0.01). Traumatic non-fire related injuries were noted in all homicides (with no signs of vital exposure to fire), 1 complicated suicide, 1 undetermined death and 13 accidents. We found that very few studies have focused on the analysis of burn distribution and extension according to manner of death and that there is currently no standardised anatomical model with which to study these variables for forensic purposes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Simonit
- Università degli Studi di Udine, Dipartimento di Area Medica, Medicina Legale, Italy.
| | - Ugo Da Broi
- Università degli Studi di Udine, Dipartimento di Area Medica, Medicina Legale, Italy
| | - Fabiola Giudici
- Cancer Epidemiology Unit, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico di Aviano (CRO) IRCCS, Aviano, Italy
| | - Orazio Elia Sciarappa
- Università degli Studi di Udine, Dipartimento di Area Medica, Medicina Legale, Italy
| | - Dario Innocenti
- Università degli Studi di Udine, Dipartimento di Studi Umanistici, Italy
| | - Lorenzo Desinan
- Università degli Studi di Udine, Dipartimento di Area Medica, Medicina Legale, Italy
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6
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Giovannini E, Franchetti G, Ridolfi M, Berardi D, Pelletti G, Gualandi A, Giraudo C, Cecchetto G, Fais P. An unusual case of corpse concealment driven by emotional distress. Leg Med (Tokyo) 2024; 67:102379. [PMID: 38183946 DOI: 10.1016/j.legalmed.2023.102379] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2023] [Accepted: 12/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/08/2024]
Abstract
Corpse concealment involves hiding a body for criminal purposes for many different reasons, such as destroy evidence of a murder or avoid the discovery of the victim. Although defendants could argue that they did not conceal the corpse with any criminal intent, but rather to spare themselves or others from emotional distress or to honor the wishes of the deceased. However, these arguments are often challenging to substantiate, and defendants may encounter significant legal obstacles when attempting to justify their actions. Herein, we report a case involving the concealment of a woman's corpse by her father. Autopsy and histological investigations were significantly limited due to the advanced decomposition of the body. Nevertheless, by integrating these data with radiological findings obtained from total body CT and micro-CT of the larynx-hyoid complex, hanging was deemed the cause of death. Additionally, the psychological evaluation of the father indicated that the act of concealment was motivated by emotions rather than criminal intent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Giovannini
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, Unit of Legal Medicine, University of Bologna, Via Irnerio 49, 40126 Bologna, Italy.
| | - Giorgia Franchetti
- Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, Vascular Sciences and Public Health, Unit of Legal, Medicine and Toxicology, University of Padova, Via Falloppio 50, Padova, Italy.
| | - Marcello Ridolfi
- Pediatric and Adult CardioThoracic and Vascular, Oncohematologic and Emergency Radiology Unit. IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, Italy.
| | | | - Guido Pelletti
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, Unit of Legal Medicine, University of Bologna, Via Irnerio 49, 40126 Bologna, Italy.
| | - Alberto Gualandi
- Institute of Pathology, DAME, University Hospital of Udine, 33100 Udine, UD, Italy.
| | - Chiara Giraudo
- Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, Vascular Sciences and Public Health, Unit of Legal, Medicine and Toxicology, University of Padova, Via Falloppio 50, Padova, Italy.
| | - Giovanni Cecchetto
- Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, Vascular Sciences and Public Health, Unit of Legal, Medicine and Toxicology, University of Padova, Via Falloppio 50, Padova, Italy.
| | - Paolo Fais
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, Unit of Legal Medicine, University of Bologna, Via Irnerio 49, 40126 Bologna, Italy.
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7
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Santelli S, Berti L, Giovannini E, Pelletti G, Pelotti S, Fais P. Homicide, suicide, or accident? Complex differential diagnosis. A case series. Leg Med (Tokyo) 2024; 66:102357. [PMID: 37984052 DOI: 10.1016/j.legalmed.2023.102357] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2023] [Accepted: 11/12/2023] [Indexed: 11/22/2023]
Abstract
Distinguishing between homicides, suicides, and accidental deaths remains a challenging task. The examination of actual cases, which involve a multitude of variables, significantly contributes to our understanding of these matters. In this context, we present three distinct cases that required the involvement of various specialists to conduct a thorough analysis of the manner of death. In the first case, the integration of on-site inspection, autopsy, radiological, and kinematic data enabled the identification of a homicidal death. In the second case, the combination of circumstantial evidence, autopsy findings, toxicological analysis, and meteorological data revealed an atypical accidental death resulting from an attempted suicide. In the third case, radiological findings, supplemented with criteria from forensic science, indicated an accidental manner of death. In all reported cases, a multidisciplinary approach played a pivotal role in the differential diagnosis of the manner of death.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simone Santelli
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, Unit of Legal Medicine, University of Bologna, Via Irnerio 49, 40126, Bologna, Italy.
| | - Luca Berti
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, Unit of Legal Medicine, University of Bologna, Via Irnerio 49, 40126, Bologna, Italy.
| | - Elena Giovannini
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, Unit of Legal Medicine, University of Bologna, Via Irnerio 49, 40126, Bologna, Italy.
| | - Guido Pelletti
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, Unit of Legal Medicine, University of Bologna, Via Irnerio 49, 40126, Bologna, Italy.
| | - Susi Pelotti
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, Unit of Legal Medicine, University of Bologna, Via Irnerio 49, 40126, Bologna, Italy.
| | - Paolo Fais
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, Unit of Legal Medicine, University of Bologna, Via Irnerio 49, 40126, Bologna, Italy.
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8
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Simonit F, Colatutto A, Giudici F, Broi UD, Sciarappa O, Desinan L. Emerging issues in the approach to submerged bodies: Water-related deaths in Friuli, northeastern Italy (1993-2020). Analysis of post-mortem reports and some unusual cases. MEDICINE, SCIENCE, AND THE LAW 2023; 63:187-194. [PMID: 36131506 DOI: 10.1177/00258024221127574] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
When analysing bodies recovered from a watery environment, all manners of death, a variety of causes of death and the possibility of body disposal have to be considered. Unclear circumstances of death, unidentified victims and body decomposition may hamper a forensic investigation. The lack of specific and sensitive drowning-related autopsy findings and post-mortem blood alcohol levels (blood alcohol concentrations (BACs)) may also lead to erroneous conclusions. We reviewed the autopsy records for all bodies recovered from water in Friuli, northeastern Italy, over a 28-year period, focusing on death circumstances, autopsy findings and blood alcohol levels. Some unusual cases were examined separately. Among the 69 cases, there were 32 accidents, 13 suicides, 4 homicides, 6 natural and 14 undetermined deaths. Causes of death included 51 drownings, 6 undetermined, 5 cardiac deaths and 7 non-drownings. Six deaths in a bathtub and one diving-related death were also included. Acute alcohol intoxication was ascertained in 22 of 40 victims. Some significant limitations in the approach to water-related deaths have been highlighted: although emphysema aquosum and external foam resulted to be the most reliable indicators, a determination of drowning based exclusively on autopsy findings cannot be ascertained with certainty. Furthermore, it was found that the standard definitions of wet and dry drowning in the literature differ widely from a morphological perspective and this may lead to misleading outcomes. Post-mortem BAC changes have been critically analysed only in bodies found in cold water, and, in the absence of an alternative to blood specimens, the use of pre-set cut-off values is still necessary.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Simonit
- Università degli Studi di Udine, DIpartimento di Area Medica, Medicina Legale, Udine, Italy
| | - Antonio Colatutto
- Dipartimento di Medicina di Laboratorio, Laboratorio Analisi d'Elezione, Presidio Ospedaliero Santa Maria della Misericordia, ASU FC, Udine, Italy
| | - Fabiola Giudici
- Università degli Studi di Padova, Unità di Biostatistica, Epidemiologia e Sanità Pubblica, Padova, Italy
| | - Ugo Da Broi
- Università degli Studi di Udine, DIpartimento di Area Medica, Medicina Legale, Udine, Italy
| | - Orazio Sciarappa
- Università degli Studi di Udine, DIpartimento di Area Medica, Medicina Legale, Udine, Italy
| | - Lorenzo Desinan
- Università degli Studi di Udine, DIpartimento di Area Medica, Medicina Legale, Udine, Italy
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Baldino G, Mondello C, Sapienza D, Stassi C, Asmundo A, Gualniera P, Vanin S, Ventura Spagnolo E. Multidisciplinary Forensic Approach in " Complex" Bodies: Systematic Review and Procedural Proposal. Diagnostics (Basel) 2023; 13:diagnostics13020310. [PMID: 36673120 PMCID: PMC9857883 DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics13020310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2022] [Revised: 01/09/2023] [Accepted: 01/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
The recovery of severely altered cadavers (i.e., extensively decomposed, mummified, charred or dismembered) can be a challenge for forensic pathologists due to the difficulties in identification, PMI estimation and manner and cause of death determination. In such cases, integrating routine approaches (autopsy, histology, toxicology) to more specific forensic branches can be fundamental to improving the investigative process. In this paper a systematic review using PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science databases has been performed. The aim was to evaluate the forensic approaches implemented in the management of severely altered bodies due to decomposition, mummification, skeletonization, charring or dismemberment (to which we refer to as "complex"), and the role of each approach in the solution of a case. Then, the literature revision results were used to propose a schematic flowchart summarizing the post mortem activities that can be performed in forensic practice, adaptable in relation to each case.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gennaro Baldino
- Department of Biomedical and Dental Sciences and Morphofunctional Imaging, University of Messina, Via Consolare Valeria, 1, 98125 Messina, Italy
- Correspondence: (G.B.); (E.V.S.); Tel.: +39-343944052 (G.B.); +39-3496465532 (E.V.S.)
| | - Cristina Mondello
- Department of Biomedical and Dental Sciences and Morphofunctional Imaging, University of Messina, Via Consolare Valeria, 1, 98125 Messina, Italy
| | - Daniela Sapienza
- Department of Biomedical and Dental Sciences and Morphofunctional Imaging, University of Messina, Via Consolare Valeria, 1, 98125 Messina, Italy
| | - Chiara Stassi
- Legal Medicine Section, Department for Health Promotion and Mother-Child Care, University of Palermo, Via del Vespro, 129, 90127 Palermo, Italy
| | - Alessio Asmundo
- Department of Biomedical and Dental Sciences and Morphofunctional Imaging, University of Messina, Via Consolare Valeria, 1, 98125 Messina, Italy
| | - Patrizia Gualniera
- Department of Biomedical and Dental Sciences and Morphofunctional Imaging, University of Messina, Via Consolare Valeria, 1, 98125 Messina, Italy
| | - Stefano Vanin
- Department of Earth, Environmental and Life Sciences (DISTAV), University of Genoa, 16132 Genoa, Italy
| | - Elvira Ventura Spagnolo
- Department of Biomedical and Dental Sciences and Morphofunctional Imaging, University of Messina, Via Consolare Valeria, 1, 98125 Messina, Italy
- Correspondence: (G.B.); (E.V.S.); Tel.: +39-343944052 (G.B.); +39-3496465532 (E.V.S.)
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10
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Khurshid A, Ahmad H, Jaffry AA, Khurshid M, Ali G. A Homicide in Disguise: How the Autopsy Dug up Clues. Cureus 2022; 14:e24691. [PMID: 35663661 PMCID: PMC9162893 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.24691] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
An autopsy is performed in the occurrence of an out-of-the-ordinary manner of death where the cause of death is unclear. Through a detailed medicolegal investigation, it differentiates homicide from suicides or accidents. However, some people do not acknowledge its importance due to the conflict between science and religion. This is especially true for countries with a lack of education and awareness. The family of the deceased may be unmindful of medicolegal matters and hesitate to allow for an autopsy. In the instance that burial takes place before an autopsy was performed, the medicolegal officer requests for an exhumation. It is the act of digging up a body from its grave to be examined in more detail. Such was the case in our study. A dead body was retrieved from a water channel in the Sindh province, assumed to have accidentally drowned. The family held the funeral before an autopsy was performed. Later, suspicions arose surrounding the death, so the body was exhumed. The soft tissues were decomposed and unidentifiable. The examination suggested strangulation owing to the pivotal discovery of a fractured hyoid bone at the tip of the greater horn of the right cornu. Chemical tests came out negative for intoxication. Therefore, the cause of death was concluded to be asphyxia due to throttling, secondary to hyoid bone fracture. Currently, technology was developed to introduce advanced tests in forensic sciences to differentiate multiple causes of drowning. However, the dissatisfactory budget limits forensic experts in their work. There is little use in testing for diatoms to rule out drowning, as it has been proved to show discrepancies sometimes leading to a false-positive result. Hence, alternative methods need to be explored for a more efficient approach to find the cause of death.
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11
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A 70-year study of femicides at the Forensic Medicine department, University of Bologna (Italy). Forensic Sci Int 2022; 333:111210. [DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2022.111210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2021] [Revised: 01/29/2022] [Accepted: 01/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
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12
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Galante N, Terzi M, Gentile G, Tambuzzi S, Zoja R. An unusual suicide by self-waterboarding: forensic pathological issues. Int J Legal Med 2021; 135:2351-2356. [PMID: 34223995 PMCID: PMC8523495 DOI: 10.1007/s00414-021-02629-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2021] [Accepted: 06/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The authors present the first case, to the best of our knowledge, of a preplanned suicide by self-waterboarding. Waterboarding (WB) is a military method of torture in which water is poured into the nostrils and the mouth of a victim, to evoke the sensation of asphyxiation by drowning. The victim was a 22-year-old male student, who was found dead and naked in the bathtub. His head was covered by a soaked canvas bag, and his hands were tied with two nylon ropes and a padlock. The water jet of the showerhead was specifically directed at the victim’s head, so that the canvas bag could be soaked with water. The cause of death was defined as the combination of asphyxiation by drowning with the direct suffocation provoked by the soaked canvas bag in the context of the waterboarding practice. Finally, the authors discuss the differential diagnosis regarding the modality (suicide versus homicide) through which this case of waterboarding was performed. The case is intended to be used as source data for similar forensic cases, where a multidisciplinary approach is advisable in such complex cases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicola Galante
- Laboratorio Di Istopatologia Forense e Microbiologia Medico LegaleSezione Di Medicina Legale E Delle Assicurazioni, Dipartimento Di Scienze Biomediche Per La Salute, Università Degli Studi Di Milano, Via Luigi Mangiagalli, 37, 20133, Milano, Italy
| | - Marco Terzi
- Laboratorio Di Istopatologia Forense e Microbiologia Medico LegaleSezione Di Medicina Legale E Delle Assicurazioni, Dipartimento Di Scienze Biomediche Per La Salute, Università Degli Studi Di Milano, Via Luigi Mangiagalli, 37, 20133, Milano, Italy
| | - Guendalina Gentile
- Laboratorio Di Istopatologia Forense e Microbiologia Medico LegaleSezione Di Medicina Legale E Delle Assicurazioni, Dipartimento Di Scienze Biomediche Per La Salute, Università Degli Studi Di Milano, Via Luigi Mangiagalli, 37, 20133, Milano, Italy
| | - Stefano Tambuzzi
- Laboratorio Di Istopatologia Forense e Microbiologia Medico LegaleSezione Di Medicina Legale E Delle Assicurazioni, Dipartimento Di Scienze Biomediche Per La Salute, Università Degli Studi Di Milano, Via Luigi Mangiagalli, 37, 20133, Milano, Italy
| | - Riccardo Zoja
- Laboratorio Di Istopatologia Forense e Microbiologia Medico LegaleSezione Di Medicina Legale E Delle Assicurazioni, Dipartimento Di Scienze Biomediche Per La Salute, Università Degli Studi Di Milano, Via Luigi Mangiagalli, 37, 20133, Milano, Italy.
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13
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Kamaluddin MR, Mahat NA, Mat Saat GA, Othman A, Anthony IL, Kumar S, Wahab S, Meyappan S, Rathakrishnan B, Ibrahim F. The Psychology of Murder Concealment Acts. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:ijerph18063113. [PMID: 33803514 PMCID: PMC8002933 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18063113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2020] [Revised: 03/09/2021] [Accepted: 03/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The escalating trend of murder victim concealment worldwide appears worrying, and literature does not reveal any specific study focusing on victim concealment amongst convicted male Malaysian murderers. Therefore, this study was aimed at investigating the psychological traits that may underlie the act of murder concealment in Malaysia via mixed method approaches. Male murderers (n = 71) from 11 prisons were selected via purposive sampling technique. In the quantitative analysis, a cross-sectional study design using the validated questionnaire was used. The questionnaire contained murder concealment variables and four Malay validated psychometric instruments measuring: personality traits, self-control, aggression, and cognitive distortion. The independent sample t-tests revealed the significantly higher level of anger in murderers who did not commit concealment acts (8.55 ± 2.85, p < 0.05) when compared with those who did so (6.40 ± 2.64). Meanwhile, the Kruskal–Wallis H test revealed that anger and the personality trait of aggressiveness-hostility significantly varied across the different groups of murder concealment acts (p < 0.05). The qualitative data obtained via the in-depth interviews revealed two important themes for the murderers to commit murder concealment acts: (1) fear of discovery and punishment and (2) blaming others. These findings discussed from the perspectives of the murderers within the context of criminology and psychology may provide the first ever insight into the murder concealment acts in Malaysia that can benefit the relevant authorities for crime prevention and investigation efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Rahim Kamaluddin
- Centre for Research in Psychology and Human Well-Being, Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi 43600, Malaysia;
- Correspondence: (M.R.K.); (N.A.M.); Tel.: +60-389213923 (ext. 8923) (M.R.K.); +60-75610386 (ext. 0386) (N.A.M.); Fax: +60-389213541 (M.R.K.); +60-75566162 (N.A.M.)
| | - Naji Arafat Mahat
- Faculty of Science, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Johor Bahru 81310, Malaysia
- Correspondence: (M.R.K.); (N.A.M.); Tel.: +60-389213923 (ext. 8923) (M.R.K.); +60-75610386 (ext. 0386) (N.A.M.); Fax: +60-389213541 (M.R.K.); +60-75566162 (N.A.M.)
| | - Geshina Ayu Mat Saat
- Forensic Science Programme, School of Health Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kubang Kerian 16150, Malaysia;
| | - Azizah Othman
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kubang Kerian 16150, Malaysia;
| | - Ian Lloyd Anthony
- Forensic Psychiatry Unit, Hospital Bahagia Ulu Kinta, Ipoh 30000, Malaysia;
| | - Sowmya Kumar
- Criminology Department, Karunya University, Coimbatore 641114, India;
| | - Suzaily Wahab
- Psychiatry Department, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysian Medical Centre, Cheras 56000, Malaysia;
| | - Saravanan Meyappan
- Kuala Lumpur Magistrates Court (Criminal Division), Kuala Lumpur 50480, Malaysia;
| | - Balan Rathakrishnan
- Faculty of Psychology and Education, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Kota Kinabalu 88400, Malaysia;
| | - Fauziah Ibrahim
- Centre for Research in Psychology and Human Well-Being, Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi 43600, Malaysia;
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