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Flouri DE, Kougios E, Fasoulakis E, Spanakis K, Kranioti EF, Papadomanolakis A. Still waters run deep: a unique case of mummification under extreme conditions. Forensic Sci Res 2024; 9:owae040. [PMID: 39296868 PMCID: PMC11409872 DOI: 10.1093/fsr/owae040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2024] [Accepted: 07/23/2024] [Indexed: 09/21/2024] Open
Abstract
In rural Crete, Greece, a mummified body was discovered inside a screw-top plastic barrel next to a dry riverbed. Local authorities conducted a field investigation along with a forensic pathologist, and the body was transferred inside the barrel to the Forensic Medicine Unit of the University of Crete for further investigation. Forensic examination included radiographs taken using a portable X-ray machine in situ followed by extraction of the remains, a full-body postmortem computed tomography scan, autopsy, DNA extraction, tissue and biofluid sampling, and histological and toxicological analyses. Two butane camping gases were recovered from inside the barrel. The remains were determined to belong to a middle-aged adult male. The postmortem interval was estimated to be over 4 months. DNA comparison revealed that the body belonged to a 58-year-old man who was reported missing 28 months prior to discovery. Examinations showed no evidence of skeletal or other trauma, and death was attributed to asphyxia due to oxygen deprivation. Careful examination of the barrel, which bore several peculiar modifications, in conjunction with contextual information pertaining to the deceased's personal life, led to successful case resolution. Key points Advanced decomposition and taphonomic alterations present challenges for forensic practitioners.A case of a set of mummified remains discovered inside a plastic screw-top barrel is reported.A multidisciplinary approach, including examination of the barrel and contextual information regarding the deceased, led to case resolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Despoina E Flouri
- Forensic Medicine Unit, University Hospital of Heraklion, University of Crete, Heraklion, Greece
| | - Efstratios Kougios
- Forensic Medicine Unit, University Hospital of Heraklion, University of Crete, Heraklion, Greece
| | | | | | - Elena F Kranioti
- Forensic Medicine Unit, University Hospital of Heraklion, University of Crete, Heraklion, Greece
| | - Antonios Papadomanolakis
- Forensic Pathology Division of Crete, Hellenic Republic Ministry of Justice, Transparency and Human Rights, Heraklion, Greece
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Kuwayama K, Miyaguchi H, Kanamori T, Tsujikawa K, Yamamuro T, Segawa H, Okada Y, Iwata YT. Effects of temperature, humidity, light, and soil on drug stability in hair: a preliminary study for estimating personal profiles using micro-segmental analysis of corpse hair. Forensic Toxicol 2024; 42:60-70. [PMID: 38055128 PMCID: PMC10808216 DOI: 10.1007/s11419-023-00675-9] [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: 09/06/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 12/07/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Micro-segmental hair analysis (MSA), which enables detailed measurement of the distribution of drugs in a single hair strand, is useful for examining the day of death and drug use history of a person. However, corpses are often found in severe environments, such as soil and freezers, which affect the drug contents in hair. Therefore, we examined the effects of temperature, humidity, light, and soil on drug stability in hair as a preliminary study to estimate personal profiles using MSA of corpse hair. METHODS Four hay-fever medicines (fexofenadine, epinastine, cetirizine, and desloratadine) were used as model drugs to evaluate drug stability in hair. Reference hair strands consistently containing the four medicines along the hair shaft were collected from patients with hay-fever who ingested the medicines daily for 4 months. The hair strands were placed in chambers with controlled temperatures (- 30 to 60 °C) and relative humidities (ca. 18 % and > 90 %), exposed to light (sunlight and artificial lights) or buried in soil (natural soil and compost). RESULTS Sunlight and soil greatly decomposed the hair surfaces and decreased the drug contents in hair (up to 37 %). However, all analytes were successfully detected along the hair shaft, reflecting the intake history, even when the hair was exposed to sunlight for 2 weeks and buried in the soil for 2 months. CONCLUSIONS Although the exposure to sunlight and storage in soil for long times made drug-distribution analysis difficult, MSA could be applied even to hair strands collected from corpses left in severe environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenji Kuwayama
- National Research Institute of Police Science, 6-3-1 Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa, Chiba, 277-0882, Japan.
| | - Hajime Miyaguchi
- National Research Institute of Police Science, 6-3-1 Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa, Chiba, 277-0882, Japan
| | - Tatsuyuki Kanamori
- National Research Institute of Police Science, 6-3-1 Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa, Chiba, 277-0882, Japan
| | - Kenji Tsujikawa
- National Research Institute of Police Science, 6-3-1 Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa, Chiba, 277-0882, Japan
| | - Tadashi Yamamuro
- National Research Institute of Police Science, 6-3-1 Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa, Chiba, 277-0882, Japan
| | - Hiroki Segawa
- National Research Institute of Police Science, 6-3-1 Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa, Chiba, 277-0882, Japan
| | - Yuki Okada
- National Research Institute of Police Science, 6-3-1 Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa, Chiba, 277-0882, Japan
| | - Yuko T Iwata
- National Research Institute of Police Science, 6-3-1 Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa, Chiba, 277-0882, Japan
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Mileva B, Tsranchev I, Georgieva M, Goshev M, Alexandrov A. A Rare Phenomenon of Natural Precocious Mummification. Cureus 2023; 15:e45626. [PMID: 37868448 PMCID: PMC10588963 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.45626] [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] [Accepted: 09/20/2023] [Indexed: 10/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Immediately after death, specific changes occur in the human body, leading to the total dissolution of the soft tissues and internal organs. In some cases, when in suitable conditions, the decomposition process could stop and be displaced by mummification. The last one is time-consuming and needs several weeks to months to set in completely. We present a case of a 34-year-old man found dead 16 days after being last seen alive in a stage of complete mummification. Natural mummification occurring in less than one month is termed precocious mummification and is rarely observed in temperate regions. With only a few cases reported globally, this case is essential for the forensic community. It will help better know the mummification processes and estimate the time since death.
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Affiliation(s)
- Biliana Mileva
- Department of Forensic Medicine and Deontology, Medical University Sofia, Sofia, BGR
| | - Ivan Tsranchev
- Department of Forensic Medicine and Deontology, Medical University of Plovdiv, Plovdiv, BGR
| | - Mihaela Georgieva
- Department of Forensic Medicine and Deontology, Medical University Sofia, Sofia, BGR
| | - Metodi Goshev
- Department of Forensic Medicine and Deontology, Medical University Sofia, Sofia, BGR
| | - Alexandar Alexandrov
- Department of Forensic Medicine and Deontology, Medical University Sofia, Sofia, BGR
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Carter DO, Orimoto A, Gutierrez CA, Ribéreau-Gayon A, Pecsi EL, Perrault KA, Peterson AJ. A synthesis of carcass decomposition studies conducted at a tropical (Aw) taphonomy facility: 2013-2022. Forensic Sci Int Synerg 2023; 7:100345. [PMID: 37609572 PMCID: PMC10440585 DOI: 10.1016/j.fsisyn.2023.100345] [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: 03/27/2023] [Revised: 08/03/2023] [Accepted: 08/04/2023] [Indexed: 08/24/2023]
Abstract
Decomposition studies have been conducted in several regions of the world, but relatively few have investigated taphonomy in tropical environments. Even fewer have explored carcass decomposition during multiple tropical seasons, leaving the relationships between season and decomposition in tropical environments poorly understood. Ten decomposition studies using 30 carcasses were conducted in Honolulu, Hawaii, USA to start addressing this knowledge gap. These studies show that some postmortem processes were observed regardless of season. Carcass temperature and chemistry were spatiotemporally variable. Fly larval masses were consistently observed within 3 days (∼75 ADD) postmortem and carcasses lost 60%-90% of mass by 10 days (∼250 ADD) postmortem (Total Body Score ∼26). Season had a significant effect on decomposition, yet the warmest and most humid seasons did not always result in the most rapid and extensive decomposition. Seasonal variation appears to be less pronounced than at other tropical decomposition sites.
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Affiliation(s)
- David O. Carter
- Laboratory of Forensic Taphonomy, Forensic Sciences Unit, School of Natural Sciences & Mathematics, Chaminade University of Honolulu, Hawaii, USA
| | - Adam Orimoto
- Laboratory of Forensic Taphonomy, Forensic Sciences Unit, School of Natural Sciences & Mathematics, Chaminade University of Honolulu, Hawaii, USA
- Scientific Investigation Section, Honolulu Police Department, Honolulu, HI, USA
| | - Carlos A. Gutierrez
- Laboratory of Forensic Taphonomy, Forensic Sciences Unit, School of Natural Sciences & Mathematics, Chaminade University of Honolulu, Hawaii, USA
- True Forensic Science, Santiago, Chile
| | - Agathe Ribéreau-Gayon
- Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry, and Physics, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Québec, Canada
- Research Group in Forensic Science, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Québec, Canada
| | - Emily L. Pecsi
- Department of Anatomy, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Québec, Canada
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Québec, Canada
| | - Katelynn A. Perrault
- Laboratory of Forensic and Bioanalytical Chemistry, Forensic Sciences Unit, School of Natural Sciences & Mathematics, Chaminade University of Honolulu, Hawaii, USA
| | - Alexis J.L. Peterson
- Laboratory of Forensic Taphonomy, Forensic Sciences Unit, School of Natural Sciences & Mathematics, Chaminade University of Honolulu, Hawaii, USA
- Department of the Medical Examiner, City and County of Honolulu, Honolulu, HI, USA
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Tambuzzi S, Gentile G, Zoja R. Letter to the Editor regarding the article "Mummification in a forensic context: an observational study of taphonomic changes and the post‑mortem interval in an indoor setting". Int J Legal Med 2023:10.1007/s00414-023-03002-4. [PMID: 37083864 DOI: 10.1007/s00414-023-03002-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2023] [Accepted: 04/14/2023] [Indexed: 04/22/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Stefano Tambuzzi
- Laboratory of Forensic Histopathology and Forensic Microbiology, Section of Legal and Insurance Medicine, Department of Biomedical Sciences for Health, University of Milan, Luigi Mangiagalli Street, 37 - 20133, Milan, Italy
| | - Guendalina Gentile
- Laboratory of Forensic Histopathology and Forensic Microbiology, Section of Legal and Insurance Medicine, Department of Biomedical Sciences for Health, University of Milan, Luigi Mangiagalli Street, 37 - 20133, Milan, Italy.
| | - Riccardo Zoja
- Laboratory of Forensic Histopathology and Forensic Microbiology, Section of Legal and Insurance Medicine, Department of Biomedical Sciences for Health, University of Milan, Luigi Mangiagalli Street, 37 - 20133, Milan, Italy
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