CASE NUMBER: ME18-0461 DECEDENT: Harvey Hill

AGE: 36 yoa SEX: Male

Received from: MADISON COUNTY
Date of Examination: May 08, 2018

REPORT OF POSTMORTEM EXAMINATION

1. Multiple Blunt Trauma

a. Abrasions on chest and base of left neck
b. Contusions of upper right chest, scalp and left neck
c. Hematoma in left side of the neck
d. Gastrointestinal contusions
e. Liver laceration
f. Contusion of the tongue

CAUSE OF DEATH: Multiple Blunt Trauma

MANNER OF DEATH: Homicide

The facts stated herein are correct to the best of my knowledge and belief.

06/19/2020
Mark LeVaughn, M.D. Date:
Chief Medical Examiner

Mississippi State Medical Examiner's Office

215 Allen Stuart Drive
Pearl, MS 39208
CASE NUMBER: ME18-0461 DECEDENT: Harvey Hill

A postmortem examination was performed on the body of Harvey Hill at the Mississippi State Medical
Examiner's Office in Pearl, Mississippi on May 08, 2018 by Dr. Mark M. LeVaughn, M.D., Chief
Medical Examiner

Length: 69 inches
Weight: 149 pounds
Appearance: The body is that of a normally developed adult black male who appears to
be the stated age of 36 years old. There is no clothing on the body.
Rigor: Full
Livor: Poorly discernible
Hair: Black
Eyes: Brown
Teeth: Natural
Facial Hair: Beard and Mustache

Tattoos/Scars: Tattoos are on the arms, left chest, abdomen and back.

Evidence of Medical EKG pads are on the chest, abdomen and back. Defibrillator pads are on the
Intervention: chest and back. An ET tube is in the mouth and the tip is in the trachea. An
NG tube is in the mouth and the tip is in the stomach. A segment of the
proximal NG tube is coiled in the oral cavity. Angiocatheters are in the left
arm, x2, right hand and right groin. A blood pressure cuff is on the right
arm. An Oxygen sensor is on the left index finger. ID bands are on both
wrists and right ankle. An ID tag is on the left foot.
Clothing: None

Identified by: Coroner

Postmortem Multiple images of the head, chest and abdomen show no identifiable evidence of
Radiographs: fractures. The NG tube is coiled in the oral cavity.

EVIDENCE OF INJURY
EXTERNAL:
There is diffuse swelling of the lateral left neck.
A 2 x 2 cm contusion is on the lateral left neck.
A 2 x 1 cm abrasion with 4 cm surrounding contusion is at the lateral left base of the neck.
A 1 x 2 cm abrasion is on the upper left back (shoulder).
A 3 x 2 cm abrasion with 4 cm surrounding contusion is on the mid right chest.

Mississippi State Medical Examiner's Office

215 Allen Stuart Drive
Pearl, MS 39208
CASE NUMBER: ME18-0461 DECEDENT: Harvey Hill

INTERNAL:
There is diffuse anterior, lateral and posterior subcutaneous and deep soft tissue hemorrhage in the left
neck.
A 5 x 5 cm subcutaneous contusion is in the superior right scalp.
A 3 x 2 cm subcutaneous contusion is in the posterior lateral left scalp.
A 4 x 5 cm subcutaneous contusion is in the soft tissue of the posterior inferior left scalp.
A 2 x 1 cm subcutaneous contusion is in the soft tissue of the left supraorbital ridge.
A 2 x 1 cm contusion is in the left temporalis muscle.
There is diffuse and transmural contusion of the mid transverse colon, 7 cm in length.
There is diffuse and transmural contusion of the proximal ascending colon, 6 cm in length.
There is diffuse and transmural contusion of a 10 cm long segment of the mid small intestine.
A 4 x 5 cm contusion is in the intercostal muscle of the mid chest over the sternum.
A 1 x 2 cm contusion is in the intercostal muscle of the mid left chest.
There is a small (< 1 cm) laceration at the porta hepatis of the liver.
There is a 1 cm contusion on the left side of the tongue.

Dissection of the posterior neck and back show no trauma.

INTERNAL EXAMINATION
Brain: 1,325 grams Dissection of the scalp shows no identifiable skull
fracture. Subcutaneous contusions are present in the
superior right, posterior lateral left, posterior inferior left
and the left supraorbital soft tissue of the scalp. There is
hemorrhage in the left temporalis muscle. Internal
examination of the cranial cavity shows no evidence of
hemorrhage or exudate. The dura and leptomeninges
show no pathologic changes. The sulci and gyri are
normally developed. The cerebral and cerebellar
hemispheres are symmetric and the brainstem is in the
midline. The vessels at the base of the brain and cranial
nerves have the usual anatomic distribution and show no
pathologic changes. Sections of the cerebral hemispheres
show well-demarcated grey and white matter. The
ventricular system is in the midline, not enlarged and
contains clear cerebral spinal fluid. The basal ganglia are
unremarkable. Sections of the cerebellum and brainstem
show no pathologic changes. Examination of the floor
and base of the skull show no fractures. The foramen
magnum is unremarkable.
Neck: Examination of the anterior, lateral and posterior
perilaryngeal and pharyngeal soft tissues show diffuse
subcutaneous and deep soft tissue hemorrhage throughout
the left side of the neck. This hemorrhage extends from
the clavicle to the mandible and includes the left

Mississippi State Medical Examiner's Office

215 Allen Stuart Drive
Pearl, MS 39208
CASE NUMBER: ME18-0461 DECEDENT: Harvey Hill

sternocleidomastoid muscle. There is focal hemorrhage in

the strap muscles on the right side of the larynx.
Posteriorly the hemorrhage extends into the posterior
pharyngeal constrictor muscle. The larynx is in the midline
and is intact. The hyoid bone is intact. The proximal and
distal airways are patent. The jugular veins and carotid
arteries are intact and patent. The thyroid gland shows no
pathologic changes. Within the oral cavity there is a 1 cm
contusion on the mid-lateral left side of the tongue. The
cervical vertebra are intact. There was no identifiable
injury to the carotid arteries or jugular veins.
Heart: 325 grams Dissection of the anterior chest shows no rib or sternal
fractures. There is contusion over the mid sternum and
mid lateral left chest. Internal examination of the chest
cavity shows the heart and lungs with the usual shape and
positions. The anterior and posterior mediastinum are
unremarkable. The pleural and pericardial cavities are wet
with serous fluid. The epicardial and pericardial surfaces
of the heart are smooth. The coronary arteries have the
usual distribution and are patent. Sections of the
myocardium shows no identifiable evidence of
hemorrhage, necrosis or scaring. The endocardial surfaces
are smooth. The right ventricle is 7 cm in diameter and 3
mm thick. The left ventricle is 3 cm in diameter and 16
mm thick. The tricuspid, pulmonary, mitral and aortic
valves are 13, 7, 11 and 7 cm in circumference each
respectively. The valves are thin and flexible with no
fusion, vegetations or thickening. The thoracic surfaces of
the diaphragm are smooth and without adhesions. The
posterior ribs and thoracic vertebrae show no fractures.
The ascending and descending aorta show no pathologic
changes.
Lungs:
Right: 850 grams
Left: 750 grams The parietal and visceral pleural surfaces are smooth.
There are no pleural adhesions or exudate. The external
and cut surfaces of the lungs are red-pink-purple. There is
no consolidation, tumor or emboli. The proximal and
distal airways are patent. The mediastinal lymph nodes
are not enlarged.
GI Tract: The serosal and mucosal surfaces of the esophagus and
stomach show no pathologic changes. There is transmural
contusion of a 7 cm long segment of the mid transverse
colon. There is transmural contusion of a 6 cm long
segment of the proximal ascending colon including the

Mississippi State Medical Examiner's Office

215 Allen Stuart Drive
Pearl, MS 39208
CASE NUMBER: ME18-0461 DECEDENT: Harvey Hill

caecum. There is transmural contusion of a 10 cm long

segment of the mid small intestine. There is no exudate.
Liver: 1,725 grams There is a small laceration (<1 cm) at the porta hepatis of
the liver with a 7 x 6 cm area of surrounding interstitial
hemorrhage.
Spleen: 75 grams

Kidneys:
Right: 200 grams
Left: 210 grams

The peritoneal cavity is wet with serous fluid. There is focal laceration at the porta hepatis
of the liver with a 7 x 6 cm area of adjacent interstitial soft tissue hemorrhage. The
retroperitoneal soft tissue shows no pathologic changes. The abdominal visceral organs
have the usual shape and are in the usual positions. The external and cut surfaces of the
liver, gall bladder, kidneys, adrenal glands, pancreas and spleen show no pathologic
changes. The lumbar vertebrae are intact and unremarkable. The abdominal aorta and
inferior vena cava are intact. There are no pathologic changes within the pelvis.

The internal organs (unless otherwise specified) are free of injury and significant
natural disease or pathologic change.

MICROSCOPIC EXAMINATION:
Multiple sections of organs and tissue are examined. The myocardium shows no hemorrhage, necrosis,
scarring or inflammation. The epicardial vessels are intact and free of inflammation. Sections of lung
show patent airways without inflammation or exudate. The blood vessels are free of thrombi. Sections
of the liver and kidney show no inflammation, hemorrhage, necrosis or thrombi. The brain, cingulate
gyrus and corpus callosum, shows no hemorrhage, necrosis or inflammation. Sections of the intestine
show severe diffuse mucosal hemorrhage with areas of transmural hemorrhage. Section of the tongue
shows focal acute hemorrhage. Sections of the right side of the neck shows no hemorrhage with intact
carotid artery, carotid body and vagus nerve. Sections of the left side of the neck shows intact carotid
artery, carotid body and vagus nerve. Additional sections show acute soft tissue hemorrhage in the left
side of the neck.

Mississippi State Medical Examiner's Office

215 Allen Stuart Drive
Pearl, MS 39208
CASE NUMBER: ME18-0461 DECEDENT: Harvey Hill

SUMMARY AND INTERPRETATION

This 36 year old male identified as Harvey Hill died as a result of multiple blunt traumatic
injuries. This is evidenced by abrasions and contusions of the head, chest and neck,
gastrointestinal contusions, liver laceration and diffuse hematoma in the left side of the neck.
The hematoma in the left side of the neck resulted in severe swelling throughout the soft tissue of
the left side of the neck. Within this anatomic region of the neck is the left vagus nerve. This
nerve originates from the brain and innervates multiple organs throughout the body including the
heart. Overstimulation of this nerve by direct blunt injury and or direct pressure due to a
hematoma can result in reflex slowing of the heartbeat by mechanism of bradyarrhythmia,
conduction block and ultimately cardiac arrest. Video of the scene was reviewed. Toxicology
was non-contributory in his death. There was no identifiable evidence of natural disease that
would have caused or contributed to his death. With the currently available information and
postmortem findings, the cause of death is Multiple Blunt Trauma and the manner of death is
Homicide.

Mississippi State Medical Examiner's Office

215 Allen Stuart Drive
Pearl, MS 39208