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C A S E R E P O R T

D a v i d W . F r a y e r , 1 P h . D . a n d J a m e s G . B r i d g e n s , 2 M . D .

S t a b W o u n d s a n d P e r s o n a l Id e n t it y D e t e rm i n e d

fr om S k e l e ta l R e m a in s : A C a s e f ro m K a n s a s

R E F E R E N C E : Frayer , D. W. and Br idgens , J . G. , "S tab W o u n d s a n d P e r so n a l Id e n t i ty D e t e r -

m l n e d f r o m S k e l e t a l R e m a i n s : A Case from Kansas," Journal of Forensie Sciences JFSC A, V ol. 30,No. 1, Jan . 1985, pp . 232-238.

A B S T R A C T : E v ide nc e fo r c a use o f de a th i n ske l e ton i z e d re m a ins i s unc om m only found a nd c asestha t involve s tabbings a re p a r t icu la r ly ra re . In the fo l lowing repor t , ev idence is presented for a

fa ta l s tabbing , de te rm ined f rom ana lys is of a r ecent homic ide . Because mu l t ip le s tab w ounds werepresent and severa l d i f fe rent bones were involved , e s t ima tes of the d imensions of the murder

weapon were a lso poss ib le . We a lso review some dis t inc t ve r tebra l anomal ies used for pe r sona lident i f ica t ion .

K E Y W O R D S : phys i ca l an th r opo logy , hum a n ide n t if i c at i on , st a b w ounds , ske l e ta l re m a ins , pe r -

sona l ident i f ica t ion

I n t h e l a t e s u m m e r o f 1 9 8 3, a h u m a n s k e l e t o n w a s a cc i d e n t a ll y d i s co v e r e d b y a b i r d w a t c h e r

i n d e n s e b r u s h o f f a c o u n t y r o a d i n L e a v e n w o r t h C o u n t y , K a n s a s . R e t r ie v a l o f t h e m a t e r i a l b y

l o ca l a u t h o r i t i e s re v e a l e d t h a t t h e i n d i v i d u a l h a d b e e n w r a p p e d i n a b l a n k e t a n d l o n g w i n d o w

d r a p e a n d t h e n p l a c e d i n a n a r m y - t y p e d u f f l e b a g . W h e n d i s co v e r ed , m o s t of t h e s k e l e t o n w a s

c o n t a i n e d i n th e d u f f l e b a g , a l t h o u g h s o m e b o n e s w e r e s c a t t e r e d o v e r a 5 - m r a d i u s . A s u r v e y o ft h i s a re a p r o d u c e d a n e a r ly c o m p l e t e s k e l e to n e x c e p t f o r b o t h f e e t , w h i c h w e r e n e v e r r e co v e r ed .

W e s u s p e c t t h a t t h e f e e t w e r e n o t e n c l o s e d i n t h e d u f f l e b a g a n d w e r e c a rr i e d a w a y b y a n i m a l

p r e d a t o r s , a l t h o u g h n o g n a w m a r k s o n t h e d i s t a l t i b i a a n d f i b u l a w e re f o u n d . B e s i d e s t h e m a -

t e r i a l i n w h i c h t h e s k e l e t o n w a s w r a p p e d , n o a r t ic l e s , s u c h a s c l o t h i n g o r j e w e l ry , w e r e p r e s e n t .

P r e l i m i n a ry e x a m i n a t i o n o f t h e r e m a i n s s h o w e d o n l y a f e w a m o r p h o u s r e m n a n t s o f s of t t is s u e,

p r i m a r i ly d e c o m p o s e d p o r t i o n s o f t h e r i g h t p a l m a r s u r f a c e a n d a g e la t i n o u s m u s c l e m a s s in t h e

r e g io n o f t h e r i g h t s h o u l d e r . M o s t o f t h e v e r t e b r a w e r e d i s a r t i c u l a t e d a n d b o n e s b e l o w t h e w a i s t

w e r e r e l a ti v e l y f r e e o f s o ft t is s u e . T h e s k u l l w a s n e a r l y c o m p l e t e l y s k e l e t o n i z e d , b u t w a s a s s o c i-

a t e d w i t h a n i n t a c t s c a lp c o n t a i n i n g c l o se ly c r o p p e d , r e d d i s h - b r o w n h a i r : A n a l y s is of th e h a i r

i n d i c a t e d t h a t i t w a s s p i r a l- t y p e , t y p ic a l o f A m e r i c a n b l a c k p e o p l e . A T u b e g a u z | b a n d a g e c o n -

s i s te n t w i t h p r o f e s s i o n a l a p p l i c a ti o n w a s f o u n d c o v e r i n g t h e d e c o m p o s e d r e m a i n s o f th e r i g h t

i n d e x f i n g e r . P r e l i m i n a r y i d e n t i f i c a t i o n s u g g e s t e d t h a t t h e i n d i v i d u a l w a s a r e la t i v el y y o u n g

b l a c k f e m a l e . N o i n d i c a t i o n o f c a u se o f d e a t h w a s n o t e d i n th e f i e ld .

Q u e r i e s a t a r e a p o l i c e a g e n c i e s l e d t o t h e d i s c o v e ry o f a m i s s i n g b l a c k f e m a l e w h o f i t t h e g e n -

Rece ived for publ ica t io n 18 May 1984; accepted for pu bl ica t ion 4 June 1984.1Assoc ia te professor , Dep ar tm en t of Anthropology, Univers i ty of Kansas , L awrence , K S.2Forensic pathologist , Kansas City, MO.

232

Copyright © 1985 by ASTM International

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F R A Y E R A N D B R I D G E N S 9 S T A B W O U N D S 2 3 3

eral description of the remains. Particularly importan t in the preliminary match ing was the ex-

istence of the Tubegauz bandage, since the missing female had received medical treatment for

lacerations of the right hand approximately two days before her disappearance, about ten

weeks previous to the discovery of the body. According to the medical report, she was involvedin an early morning bottle fight and t reated for superficial lacerations to the right hand . The

following day she was reported missing by relatives. For more corroborative ident ification , we

examined the dentition, which revealed several previous extractions and two teeth with amal-

gam restorations. However, irregularities in the den tal records (lack of definitive X-rays and

indications that two separate individualswere included as the same person in the dentist 's rec-

ords) precluded positive identification. For furthe r work, skeletal materials were sent to the

University of Kansas, where they were cleaned and subjected to further analysis.

An inventory and prel iminary examination of the bones before maceration revealed tha t two

ribs (right and left rib 5) were severed about 20 mm from their anterior medial ends. These

specimens were separated from the rest of the skeletal remains and cleaned individually. The

remainder of the skeleton was macerated in a hot wa ter/ ammon ia bath at the Museum of Na-

tural History, University of Kansas. No cleaning of the remains occurred before the material

was placed in the macerating tank. After this process, the skeleton was aged and sexed accord-

ing standard anthropological techniques [1-3]. The pelvis was clearly female, and, based on

epiphyseal closure in the long bones and the morphology of the face of the pubic symphysis, the

individual was aged about 19 years. Calculated sta ture closely matched medical records of the

suspected victim. Fur ther skeletal analysis produced more evidence for personally identify ing

the remains. Because the suspect suffered rheumatic heart disease, serial X-rays were obtained

from a local hospital that covered about a ten-year period. Comparing the most recent radio-

graphs to the relevant skeletal elements, two sets of vertebral anomalies were noted. Chest

X-rays showed tha t the individual had unbifurca ted dorsal spines on cervical vertebrae 3 to 6.This uncommon condition [4-5] matched the skeletal remains. Also, thoracic vertebrae 9 to 11

exhibited marked asymmetry in size and morphology between the left and right transverse pro-

cesses. Both these skeletal variations and the presence of the Tubegauz bandage exactly

matched the medical records of the missing person and led to the identification of the skeletal

remains.

E v i d e n c e f o r C a u s e o f D e a t h

Five separate bones gave evidence of being cut or pierced by a knife. Left rib 5 showed a diag-

onal cut, slanting from the upper to the lower margin and severing a medial segment of the rib

that measured 19 mm along the superior surface and 11 mm at the inferior margin (Fig. 1). The

diagonal length of the cut surface was 15 mm and exhibited a very flat, smooth appearance (Fig.

2). On the superior posterior border a small bone chip was spalled off, measuring 7.5 mm along

its longest (superior) aspect. At the inferior margin there was another bone chip missing along

the posterior border. Direction of the chipping in both areas indicated that the cut rib fragment

was displaced internally rom a blow delivered to the anter ior surface. Since the cut surface was

angled to the long axis of the rib, the weapon appeared to have been directed slightly laterally as

it entered the chest cavity. On left rib 10, a small cut mark was also discovered (Fig. 3). The

wound barely penet rated the cortical surface and occurred on the superior margin, posterior to

the midpoint of the shaft. This small mark opened toward the vertebral border of the rib and

appeared to represent the most inferior extent of the kn ife's course through the chest cavity onthe left side. Thus these two wounds on left ribs 5 and 10 provide evidence of the beginningand

end of one stabbing action. From reconstruct ion of the thoracic cage, it was apparent that the

knife first severed the portion of left rib 5 and cont inued its course in a downward, lateral direc-

tion, ending with the small cut in the superior surface of left rib 10.

Right rib 5 presented evidence very similar to that seen in left rib 5, with a sharp, flat cut run-

ning diagonally from the superior to the inferior border (Fig. 1). This cut severed a small medial

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234 J O U R N A L O F F O R E N S I C S C I E N C E S

F I G , 1 - L e f t a n d r i g h t f i f t h r i bs w it h m e s o s t e r n u m . S e v e r e d m e d i a l p o r t io n s on b o t h s i d e s h a ve b e e n

r e p o s # i o n e d i n t o a n a t o m i e a l o r d e r . T h e t r a n s v er s e g a p i n l o w e r h a l f o f m e s o s t e r n u m a t l d t h e l ~o tc h e d a re a

in in fe r ior por t ion are not t raumat ic ', bu t are a r e sul t o f incom ple te fus io n o f s te r l la l s egm ents .

F I G . 2 - - C u t s u r f a c e s o n t h e m a i n p a r t s o f t h e l e f t a n d r i g h t f ( f t h r ib s . N o te t h e s m o o t h s h e a r p l a n e o f

both the cor t ica l an d cance l lous bone . V iew is h l te rnal .

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F R A Y E R A N D B R I D G E N S 9 S T A B W O U N D S 2 3 5

F I G . 3 - - Sm al l cut on super ior sur face o f l e f t rib 10 . The woun d bare ly pene t ra tes the cort i ca l sur face .

p o r t i o n o f t h e r i b , m e a s u r i n g 2 2 m m a l o n g t h e s u p e r i o r a n d 1 7 m m a l o n g th e i n f e r i o r s u r f a c e .

A l t h o u g h t h e a n g l e o f t h e c u t w a s a p p r o x i m a t e l y t h e s a m e i n b o t h l e f t a n d r i g h t r i b s (6 0 ~ t o t h e

i n f e r i o r b o r d e r ) , t h e s e v e r e d s e g m e n t o n t h e r i g h t r i b w a s a l i tt l e l a r g e r , w h i c h s u g g e s t e d a

s l ig h t l y m o r e l a t e r a l e n t r y o f t h e w e a p o n . A s i n t h e l e f t r i b , t h e f a c e o f t h e c u t s u r f a c e o n r i g h tr i b 5 w a s a n g l e d l a t e r a l ly f r o m t h e e x t e r n a l t o i n t e r n a l b o r d e r , i n d i c a t i n g t h a t t h e b l o w w a s d i -

r e c t e d o b l i q u e ly i n to t h e c h e s t . C o m p a r e d t o t h e l e ft r i b , t h e c u t o n t h e r i g h t r ib w a s s m o o t h e r ,

l a c k i n g a n y m a r k e d s p a l li n g o f t h e b o n e . A l o n g t h e p o s t e r i o r i n f e r i o r s u r f a c e t h e r e w a s a v e r y

s m a l l c h i p , a p p r o x i m a t e l y i n t h e s a m e p o s i t i o n a s o n l e f t r i b 5 . O n t h e p o s t e r i o r s u r f a c e a f e w

v e r y s m a l l c h ip s w e r e d i s l o d g e d f r o m t h e l o w e r h a l f o f t h e c u t s u r f a ce .

A l t h o u g h t h e r e w a s n o i n v o l v e m e n t o f a n y o f t h e l o w e r r i b s o n t h e r i g h t s i d e, t h e r ib d i r e c tl y

a b o v e t h e s e v e r e d r ig h t r i b a ls o s h o w e d s i g n s o f t r a u m a . L o c a t e d a l o n g t h e i n f e r i o r m a r g i n o f

r i g h t ri b 4 , a b o u t 2 7 m m f r o m t h e i n t a c t m e d i a l e n d , w a s a s u p e r f i c i a l n i c k i n t h e b o n e s u r f a c e .

T h i s n i c k w a s d i a g o n a ll y a li g n e d w i th t h e c u t s u r f a c e o n r ib 5 a n d m a r k e d t h e c o n t i n u a t i o n o f

t h e b l o w d e l i v e r e d m a i n l y t o r i g h t r i b 5 ( F i g . 4 ).

T h e r i g h t h u m e r u s a ls o b o r e e v i d e n c e o f b e i n g p i e r c e d b y a k n i f e p o i n t . O n t h e l a t e ra l s u r -

f a c e a t t h e i n f e r i o r m a r g i n o f t h e d e l t o i d t u b e r o s i t y , t h e r e w a s a p u n c t u r e w o u n d l o c a t e d 1 75

m m a b o v e t h e e l b o w . T h i s w o u n d p i e r c e d a b o u t h a l f t h e t o t a l t h i c k n e s s o f t h e c o r t i c al b o n e ,

l e a v in g a V - s h a p e d d e f e c t in t h e b o n e ( F i g . 5 ). T h e w o u n d ( m e a s u r i n g 2 m m i n t h e l o n g a x is )

w a s o b l i qu e t o t h e m a x i m u m l e n g t h o f t h e h u m e r u s , a n g l i n g a b o u t 4 5 ~ t o t h e s h a f t. A l o n g t h e

s u p e r i o r s u r f a c e a s m a l l b o n e c h i p w a s sp a l l e d o f f t h e m a r g i n , w h i l e t h e i n f e r i o r m a r g i n o f t h e

c u t w a s e l e v a t e d a n d d i s p l a c e d l a t e r a ll y . I n a n a t o m i c a l p o s i t i o n , t h i s w o u n d i s o n a b o u t t h e

s a m e p l a n e a s th o s e o n t h e u p p e r c h e s t.

M i c r o s c o p i c e x a m i n a t i o n o f t h e s e c u t m a r k s i n d i c a t e d t h a t t h e w e a p o n m u s t h a v e b e e n v e r y

s h a r p . O n t h e t w o s e v e r e d ri b s, t h e c o r ti c a l a n d t h e c a n c e l l o u s b o n e w e r e c u t i n a v e r y s m o o t h ,

e v e n p la n e ( F ig . 2 ). P o s t m o r t e m b r e a k a g e o r a c r u s h i n g b l o w b y a b l u n t i n s t r u m e n t w o u l d n o t

h a v e p r o d u c e d s u c h a d i s t i n c t c l e a n c u t [ 6]. F u r t h e r , a l o n g t h e p o s t e r i o r o r i n n e r s u r f a c e s o f

b o t h s e v e re d r ib s , s m a l l m i c r o c h i p s o f b o n e w e r e d i s c o v e re d , w h i c h p r e s u m a b l y w e r e b r o k e n

o f f as th e w e a p o n e n t e r e d t h e c h e s t c a v it y . T h e n i c k e d a r e a o n t h e i n f e r io r s u r f a ce o f r i g h t r ib 4

h a d a s t ra i g h t w a i l ed c u t o n t h e l a te r a l m a r g i n a n d a t a p e r e d f a c e a n g l i n g a w a y f ro m t h i s s u r-

f a c e . T h i s w o u n d l a c k e d t h e c l e a n s h e a r in g o f t h e o t h e r t w o r ib s a n d p r o b a b l y r e p r e s e n t e d t h e

f ir s t r i b e n c o u n t e r e d i n t h e w e a p o n ' s p e n e t r a t i o n o f t h e c h e s t. M a g n i f i c a ti o n o f t h e h u m e r a l

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2 3 6 JOUR NAL OF FORENSIC SCIENCES

F I G . 4 - -R econs t ruc t ion o f right four th and f i f th r ibs. The s evered s ec tion has been a t tached to the

main port ion of the f i f t h r ib. N ote sma ll nick on the infer ior surface of the four th r ib. D ij ferences in color

of the two r ibs relate to separate process ing techniques .

w o u n d s h o w e d a s h a r p c l e a v a g e o f t h e e x t e r i o r b o n e s u r f ac e , w i t h n o e v i d e n c e o f cr u s h i n g i n th es u r r o u n d i n g b o n e . T h e w e a p o n t i p ( o r t h e h u m e r u s ) s e e m e d t o h a v e b e e n s li g h tl y t w i s te d d u r -

i n g t h e a s s a u l t , s i n c e t h e s u p e r i o r s u r f a c e o f t h e w o u n d w a s c l e ar l y s p a l l e d o f f w h i l e t h e i n f e r i o r

s u r f a ce s h o w e d u p w e l l in g a n d o u t w a r d d i s to r t i o n .

Ev ide nce ab ou t t h e W e ap on

B a s e d o n t h e s e o b s e rv a t io n s , w e d e t e r m i n e d t h a t t h e w o m a n w a s s t a b b e d a t le a s t t h r e e ti m e s ,

t w i c e in t h e c h e s t a n d o n c e i n t h e r i g h t h u m e r u s j u s t b e l o w t h e s h o u l d e r . J u d g i n g f r o m t h e e v e n -

n e s s o f t h e c u t s o n t h e l e f t a n d r i g h t f if t h r i b s , m a r k e d b y t h e c l e a n s h e a r f a c e o f t h e b o n e s u r -

f a c e s , t h e k n i f e m u s t h a v e b e e n v e r y s h a r p . S i n c e tw o r i b s o n b o t h s i d es o f t h e c h e s t s h o w e d

s i g n s o f b e i n g c u t , w e r e c o n s t r u c t e d t h e r i b c a g e i n o r d e r t o d e t e r m i n e t h e r e l a t io n s h i p o f t h e

m u l t i p l e s ta b w o u n d s t o e a c h o t h e r . F i r s t, t h e t h o r a c i c v e r t e b r a w e r e r e a s s e m b l e d b y a rt i cu l a t -

i n g a n d t h e n g l u i n g to g e t h e r t h e i n f e ri o r a n d s u p e r i o r a r t ic u l a r f a c e ts . T h e r i b s w e r e th e n a t -

t a c h e d t o t h e i r v e r t e b r a l fa c e t s o n t h e l a t e ra l c e n t r u m a n d t h e t r a n s v e r s e p r o c es s . T h r o u g h

c o m p a r i s o n w i t h a s t a n d i n g s k e l e t o n , a n a t o m i c a l i l l u s t r a t i o n s , a n d t h e c h e s t r a d i o g r a p h s o f

t h e s u s p e c t , w e a r ri v e d a t a r e a s o n a b l y a c c u r a t e r e c o n s t r u c t i o n o f t h e t h o r a c i c c a v i ty .

O n c e t h e r e c o n s t r u c t i o n w a s c o m p l e t e d , t h e r e l a t io n s h i p o f t h e w o u n d s t o e a c h o t h e r b e -

c a m e m o r e a p p a r e n t . O n t h e r i g h t s i de , t h e n i c k e d s u r f a ce o n t h e f o u r t h r i b w a s d i r ec t ly a b o v e

t h e s e v e r e d p o r ti o n o f t h e f i f t h r ib , a n d b o t h a p p e a r e d t o h a v e b e e n p r o d u c e d b y a s in g le b l o w

( F i g . 2 ). R e c o n s t r u c t i o n o f t h e s p a c e s b e t w e e n t h e s e t w o r i b s s u g g e s t e d t h e k n i f e b l a d e w a s a t

l ea s t 2 5 m m i n b r e a d t h . O n a si n g le st a b , a n y n a r r o w e r d i m e n s i o n w o u l d n o t h a v e p i e r ce d r i g h t

r i b 5 a n d n i c k e d t h e r i b a b o v e i t. G i v e n i n d i v i d u a l v a r i ab i l i ty in i n t e r r i b s p a c e s , t h e k n i f e b l a d e

c o u l d h a v e b e e n a s b r o a d a s 4 0 r a m , y e t l a c k o f i n v o l v e m e n t o f a d d i t i o n a l r i b s d i r e c t ly b e lo w r i b

5 o n t h e r i g h t s i d e a n d n o s i m i l a r w o u n d o n l e f t r i b 4 s u g g e s t s th a t t h e s m a l l e r e s t i m a t e i s t h e

m o r e l ik e ly d im e n s i o n . A l s o , t h e l e n g t h o f t h e k n i f e c o u l d b e r e c o n s t r u c t e d f r o m t h e a s s o c i a te d

c u t s o n l e f t r i b s 5 a n d 1 0. D i r e c t m e a s u r e m e n t o f t h e d i s t a n c e b e t w e e n t h e s e v e r e d l e ft f i f t h r i b

t o t h e s m a l l c u t o n t h e s u p e r i o r s u r f a c e o f t h e l e f t t e n t h r i b i n d i c a t e d t h a t t h e k n i f e w a s a t le a s t

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FRAYER AND BRIDGENS ~ S TA B WO U N D S 2 3 7

F I G . 5 - - P u n c t u r e p o i n t w o u n d i n r i g h t h u m e r u s l o c a t e d on t h e d e l to i d t ub e r os i ty .

2 0 0 m m l o n g . T h i s e s t i m a t e t o o k i n t o a c c o u n t s o m e c o n s t r i ct i o n o f t h e r i b c a g e o n i m p a c t a n d

t h e t h i c k n e s s o f s o ft t i s s u e o n t h e c h e s t .

O n t h e h u m e r u s , t h e m i n i m u m d i a m e t e r o f t h e c u t m a r k s u g g es t ed t h a t t h e k n i f e w as le ss

t h a n 1 m m i n c ro s s s e c t i o n , a l t h o u g h g i v e n th e p l a s t ic i t y o f f r e s h b o n e t h i s e s t i m a t e i s c o n j e c -

t u r a l. A l a t e x m o l d w a s m a d e o f t h is w o u n d ; f r o m t h i s , a s w e ll a s m i c r o s c o p ic a n d r a d i o g r a p h i c

e x a m i n a t i o n o f t h e p u n c t u r e m a r k , i t w a s c l ea r t h a t t h e e n d o f t h e k n i f e w a s p o i n t e d , r a t h e r

t h a n b l u n t e d o r r o u n d e d .

B a s e d o n t h i s e v i d e n c e , w e b e li e v e t h e w e a p o n w a s a l a r g e, e x t r e m e l y s h a r p , p o i n t e d k n i f e

a n d t h a t t h e v i c t i m r e c e i v e d a t le a st tw o s t a b b i n g b l o w s to t h e c h e s t a n d o n e t o t h e r i g h t h u -

m e r u s . T h e h u m e r a l w o u n d m a y h a v e b e e n t h e r e s u l t o f a d e fe n s i v e a c t io n o n t h e p a r t o f t h e v ic -

t i m , s i nc e i t o c c u r r e d i n a p p r o x i m a t e l y t h e s a m e h o r i z o n t a l p l a n e a s t h e t w o s e v e r ed f i f th r i b s .

I f so , it s ee m s l i k el y t h a t t h e w o m a n w a s a t t a c k e d f r o m t h e f r o n t , w h i le s h e w a s s t a n d i n g a n d

t h a t h e r h a n d s w e r e n o t b o u n d . G i v e n t h e d e p t h o f p e n e t r a t i o n o n t h e l e ft s id e o f h e r c h e s t a n d

t h e c o m p l e t e s e v e r in g o f t h e t w o f i f t h r i b s e c t io n s , t h e f a t a l b l ow s w e r e q u i t e f o r c e f u l . U n f o r t u -

n a t el y , t h e m u r d e r w e a p o n h a s n o t b e e n f o u n d , n o r h a s h a s a su s p e c t b e e n i d e n t i f i e d . C o n f i r -

m a t i o n o f o u r w e a p o n r e c o n s t r u c t i o n a w a i t s m o r e p o l ic e w o r k a n d f u r t h e r d e v e l o p m e n t s i n t h e

c a se .

T h e w o u n d s t o t h e c h e s t m u s t h a v e b e e n f a t a l, a l t h o u g h w e c o u l d n o t d e t e r m i n e i f t h e s e w e r e

t h e a c t u a l c a u s e o f d e a t h . E v e n s o , t h e k n i f e p e n e t r a t e d t h e c h e s t a n d w o u l d h a v e i n j u r e d t h e

h e a r t , m e d i a s t i n u m , o r p u l m o n a r y h i la . W e s t r o n g ly s u s p ec t t h a t th e s e s ta b w o u n d s r e p r e s e n t

t h e c a u s e o f d e a th , s i n ce t h e r e w a s n o e v id e n c e o f o t h e r t r a u m a o r v i o l en c e . T h e c r a n i u m

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238 JOURNALOF FORENSIC SCIENCES

s h o w e d n o s i g n s o f s e v er e b l o w s t o t h e h e a d e i t h e r i n g r os s e x a m i n a t i o n o r X - r a y . T h e h y o i d w a s

i n t a c t a n d g a v e n o e v i d e n c e t h a t w o u l d i n d i c a te t h e s u s p e c t w a s s tr a n g l e d . A l t h o u g h s o m e

p a r t s o f t h e p o s t c r a n i a l s k e le t o n w e r e d a m a g e d , t h e s e a p p e a r e d t o h a v e o c c u r r e d p o s t m o r t e m ,

p r e s u m a b l y d u r i n g c o l l e c t io n o f t h e r e m a i n s a n d d u r i n g t r a n s p o r t .

C o n c l u s i o n s

N u m e r o u s s t u d i e s p r o v i d e t e c h n i q u e s f o r i d e n t i fy i n g t h e s e x, r a c e, a g e , a n d s t a t u r e o f sk e le -

t a l r e m a i n s [1 - 3 , 7 - 9 ] ; a f e w a l s o p r e s e n t v a r i a t i o n s o f s k e l e t a l a b n o r m a l i t i e s a n d r e s i d u a l f r a c -

t u r e s a s a m e a n s o f p e r s o n a l i d e n t i f i c a ti o n [ I0 ,11] . H e r e , t h e p r e s e n c e o f u n c o m m o n v e r te b r a l

v a r i a ti o n s a l o n g w i t h o t h e r k n o w n i d e n t i fy i n g i t e m s f i rm l y e s t a b li s h e d t h e i d e n t it y o f t h e

v i c t i m .

I n o u r r e v i e w o f t h e l i t e r a t u r e , w e f o u n d t h e c a u s e o f d e a t h i n s k e l e t a l m a t e r i a l t o b e l i m i t e d

l a rg e l y t o g u n s h o t w o u n d s , m a s s i v e b l u n t t r a u m a , a n d c r a n ia l i n ju r i es . I n t h i s c as e , p r e s u m -

a b l y f a t al , a n t e m o r t e m i n j u ri e s a s w e l l a s i n d i ca t i o n s o f th e d i m e n s i o n s o f t h e i n s t r u m e n t o f

d e a t h w e r e d e t e r m i n e d b y d e t a i l e d e x a m i n a t i o n o f c a re f u l ly c l e a n e d s k e l e ta l m a t e r ia l . T h i s

e m p h a s i z e s t h e i m p o r t a n c e o f a c lo s e w o r k i n g r e l a ti o n s h i p a m o n g i n v e s t ig a t i n g o ff i ce r s , p a -

t h o l o g i s t s, ra d i o l o g i s ts , a n d f o r e n s i c a n t h r o p o l o g i s t s . C a r e f u l e x a m i n a t i o n o f a n y b o n y p a r t s

f o l lo w i n g r e m o v a l o f t h e d e c o m p o s e d t is s u e s m a y r e v ea l t h e a p p e a r a n c e o f u n a p p r e c i a t e d i n -

j u r i e s t h a t c a n l e a d t o t h e d e l i n e a t i o n o f t h e c a u s e o f d e a t h a n d d e f i n i ti o n o f t h e w e a p o n u s e d i n

i n f li c ti n g t h e w o u n d s .

A c k n o w l e d g m e n t s

W e w o u l d li k e t o t h a n k D a v i d H i e b e r t f o r h e l p w i th t h e r a d i o g r a p h s a n d p e r s o n a l i d en t i fi c a -

t i o n , R o b e r t P a t t e r s o n f o r m a c e r a t i n g t h e r e m a i n s , a n d C r a i g S t a n c li f f e f o r l eg a l a d v i ce .

R e f e r e n c e s

[1] Bass, W . M ., Human Osteology, Missouri Archaeological Society, Columbia, MO, 1971,pp. 156-162.

[2] Phenice, T. W ., "A Newly Dev eloped Visual M ethod of Sexing the Os Pu bis," Am erican Journal ofPhysicalAnthropology, Vol. 30, No. 2, March 1967, pp. 297-302.

[3] Krogman, W. M. , The H um an Skeleton in Forensic Medicine, Charles C Th om as, Springfield, IL,

1962.[4] Gray, H. and Goss, C. M., Anato my o f the Hu man B o dy , 28th ed., Lea and Febiger, Philadelphia,

1966, p. 120.[5] Jackson, R., The CervicaISyndrome, Charles C Th om as, Springfield, IL, 19 66, p. 16.[6] Kerley, E. R . , "Fo rensic An thropo logy," in Forensic Medicine, C. G. Tedeschi , W. G. Ecker t , and

L. G. Tedesehi , Eds. , Saund ers, Philadelphia , 1977, p. 1113.[7] Froede, R. C. , Froede, C. M ., and Birkby, W. M ., "System s for H um an Id entificat ion ," Pathology

Annual 1981, Vol. 16, Pt. 1, pp. 337-365.[8] Kerley, E. R. , "Forensic Anthropology," in Legal Medicine Annual 1973, C. H. Wecht , Ed. ,

Appleton-Century-Crofts, New York, 19 73, pp . 163-198.[9] Murphy, W . A. and Gan tner, G. E. , "Radiological Examination of An atomic Parts and Skeletonized

Rem ain s," Journal o f Forensic Sciences, Vol. 27, No. 1, Jan. 1982, pp. 9-18.[10] Atkins, L. and Potaid, M . S. , "Roentge nogra phic Identification of Hu m an R ema ins," Journal of

the American MedicalAssociation, Vol. 240, No. 21, 17 No v. 1978, pp . 2307-2308.[11] Tsu nenari , S . , Ue him ura, Y ., Yonemitsu, K., and Oshiro, S . , "U nu sua l Personal Identification

with Characterist ic Featur es in Chest Roentg enog ram s," The American Journal of Forensic Medi-cine and Pathology, Vol. 3, No. 4, Dec . 1982, pp . 357-360.

Address requests for reprints or addit ional information toDavid W. FrayerDep ar tmen t of AnthropologyUniversi ty o f Kan sasLawrence, KS 66045