Coroner's preliminary report
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Office of the Yoknapatawpha County Coroner |
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DATE and HOUR AUTOPSY PERFORMED: Douglas Hargrove, M.D. |
Assistant:
Victoria Witte, M.D.
Full Autopsy Performed |
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SUMMARY PRELIMINARY REPORT OF AUTOPSY |
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EVIDENCE OF TREATMENT N/A
EXTERNAL EXAMINATION - SUMMARY The autopsy is begun at 8:30 a.m. on June 16, 2024. The body is presented in a black body bag. When first viewed, the deceased is clothed in a blue long-sleeved shirt, black pants, and black shoes. The hands are covered with paper bags secured at the wrists with rubber bands. The body is that of a well-nourished, normally developed white female measuring 66 inches and weighing 125 pounds, and appearing generally consistent with the stated age of 40 years. Preservation is good on the unembalmed body. The body is cold to the touch following refrigeration. The head hair is brunette with a maximal length of 14.75 inches. The body hair is female and average. The irides are brown, and the eyes are partially open. The nose and ears are unremarkable. The teeth are natural with some amalgam restorations. The chest is of normal contour, and the breasts are female and contain no palpable masses. The abdomen is flat, and the pelvis is intact. The external genitalia is female and unremarkable, and there is no evidence of injury. The back is symmetrical. The upper and lower extremities are symmetric, normally developed, and intact. The hands and nails are clean, and there is evidence of no injury. There are no residual scars, markings, or additional tattoos.
INTERNAL EXAMINATION - SUMMARY CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM: The brain weighs 1,100 grams and is within normal limits. Significant injury consistent with a gunshot wound is observed. (Injury 1) MUSCULOSKELETAL SYSTEM: The musculoskeletal system is intact, unremarkable, and within normal limits. 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 cervical spine is in the midline and essentially unremarkable. The mucosa of the epiglottis, glottis, piriform sinuses, trachea, and major bronchi are anatomic. A perforating injury traversing the trachea is observed. (Injury 2). No mucosal lesions are seen. The hyoid bone, the thyroid, and the cricoid cartilages are intact. The lungs weigh: right, 330 grams; left, 305 grams. A perforating injury traversing the right lung is observed. (Injury 3) CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM: The heart weighs 280 grams and has a normal size and configuration. Cardiac valves and coronary ostia are anatomic and unremarkable. No evidence of atherosclerosis or gross ischemic changes of recent or remote origin is present. Perforating injuries to the heart and ascending aorta are observed. (Injury 3) 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. The mucosa of the duodenum, jejunum, ileum, colon, and rectum are intact. Externally, the small intestine, appendix, and colon are unremarkable. HEPATOBILIARY SYSTEM: The liver weighs 1,370 grams. The gallbladder contains 2 cc of dark green bile, no stones, and is grossly normal. The extrahepatic biliary system is unremarkable. The pancreas shows the usual lobular architecture, mild autolysis, and is otherwise normal. URINARY SYSTEM: The kidneys weigh: left, 110 grams; right, 101 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 6 cc of clear urine. FEMALE GENITAL SYSTEM: The structures are within normal limits. Examination of the pelvic area indicates the deceased had not given birth. There is no evidence of recent sexual activity. The inguinal regions and buttocks are normal. TOXICOLOGY: Samples of right pleural blood, cerebrospinal fluid, bile, and urine are submitted for toxicologic analysis. SEROLOGY: A sample of right pleural blood is submitted in the EDTA tube. Routine toxicologic studies were ordered.
DESCRIPTION OF INJURIES - SUMMARY (1) Close-range gunshot wound to the right temporal lobe entrance point measures 13 cm from the top and 8 cm from the right ear. The entrance wound measures 1.4 cm in diameter, surrounded by a 1 cm abrasion. The projectile track fractures the occipital bone and results in an extensive comminuted fracture measuring 19 cm, extensive cerebrocranial injury, fracture of the convexity of the skull exiting through a 1.6 cm lacerated exit wound. The external track of the wound is from front to back, right to left, and downward. Opinion: This is a fatal injury. (2) Close-range gunshot wound to the neck entering at the midline with a 1.3 cm diameter entrance wound, traversing the trachea from right to left, perforating the common carotid arteries and exiting 2.2 cm to left of midline at the posterior cervical vertebral column. The external track of the wound is from front to back, right to left, and downward. Opinion: This is a fatal injury. (3) Close-range gunshot wound to the chest entering to the right of midline, the center at 49 cm from the top of the head and 7 cm to the right of the anterior midline of the chest. The entrance wound is 1.4 cm in diameter with a slightly ovoid entry defect, surrounded by an eccentric abrasion measuring 1.1 cm in diameter. The projectile track perforates the right lung, the heart, and the ascending aorta and lodges in the posterior skeletal muscle of the left subclavian region. The track of the projectile is from front to back, right to left, and slightly upward. Opinion: This is a fatal injury.
LABORATORY DATA Cerebrospinal fluid culture and sensitivity: Gram stain: Unremarkable Cerebrospinal fluid bacterial antigens: Hemophilus influenza B: Negative
Drug Screen Results: Urine screen {Immunoassay} was NEGATIVE. Millicent Schmid, Ph.D.
EVIDENCE COLLECTED 1. Samples of hair, blood (type O+), urine, bile, and tissue (heart, lung, brain, kidney, liver, spleen) 2. The nails of both hands were cut and preserved 3. Fourteen (14) autopsy photographs 4. Six (6) postmortem X-rays 5. Two (2) standard fingerprint cards 6. One projectile recovered from the left subclavian region.
Clothing and Personal Effects: 1. One (1) women's long-sleeved shirt, blue 2. One (1) pair of women's pants, black 3. Two (2) women's shoes, black 4. One (1) pair of women's underwear, black 5. One (1) bra, black
The projectile, clothing, hair sample, blood sample, urine sample, and one of the fingerprint cards were transferred to the Crime Lab for further analysis and comparison.
OPINION Time of Death: Body temperature, rigor and livor mortis, stomach contents, witness statements, and other factors approximate the time of death between 2:00 a.m. and 3:00 a.m. on June 16, 2024. Cause of Death: Multiple close-range gunshot wounds of the head, neck, and chest. Manner of Death: Homicide
//Douglas Hargrove, M.D. |
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