Problem #7: Forensic

Autopsy & Case Study

By: Bella Pedranti

Activity 7.1.1 Forensic Autopsy

In this activity I assumed the role of a forensic pathologist and performed an autopsy
on a fetal pig, an animal whose anatomy, both internal and external, is very similar to
human anatomy. I examined the fetal pig using the same protocol as a human
autopsy, including examination of the tissues, organs, systems, and body fluids.

Autopsy- Is an examination of the body after death, usually with such dissection as will
expose the vital organs for determining the cause of death or the character and extent of
changes produced by disease.
Autopsy Objectives

-Conduct an external investigation of a fetal pig following an autopsy

protocol
-Examine tissues, organs, systems, and bodily fluids and note any
abnormalities
- Most importantly, to be able to identify how each organ is
connected and how each organ’s symmetry allows for a perfect fit in
the body cavity.
Autopsy Method

The Rokitansky Technique, meaning removal of notable organs ALL AT ONCE

aka the heart, lungs, liver, kidneys and spleen etc. Are removed in one block and
then dissected on the autopsy table
-For Y incision: cut trachea and surrounding connective tissue --> cut to large
intestine so that you can remove the organs there
-Will use protocol of a human autopsy in this, as the fetal pig’s anatomy is similar
to a human’s anatomy.
Materials
- Fetal pig
- A sponge
- An absorbent pad or paper towels
- Four weigh boats
- A dissection pan
- A dissecting kit
- Bone-cutting forceps
- String
- A ruler
- A drinking straw
- A suturing needle
- A microscope.
- Electrical balance
- Safety goggles
- Gloves
- Lab Coat/ Apron
“The First Cut”

The first cut begins at the shoulder blades

and meet at the chest plate creating a
triangular cut that exposes the throat
structures.
Exposing the Body Cavity

After cutting further down the

pig’s stomach with the the
dissection scalpel, I carefully
cut a semicircle type of shape
around the umbilical cord to
prevent removal of it. After
successfully cutting around
the umbilical cord, the skin
was then able to be removed,
exposing the ribs.
Exposing the Internal
……….Organs

After exposing the

ribs I used the bone
cutting forceps to cut
through the rib cage
to get through them in
order to reveal the
lungs and heart along
with other vital
organs.
This next cut was made from between the
eyes, under the ears, and around to the
back of the neck. I then pulled back the skin
that was just cut, to reveal a translucent
membrane that encapsulated the brain. The
membrane and the skull were removed in
order to remove the brain.
About Pig

Age from Conception (in days): 115-120 days

Gender: Male
Heart: 6.66 g & 4 cm long
Brain: 24.56 g & 5 cm long
Stomach: 7.84 g & 4.5 cm long
Right Kidney: 2.76 g & 3.5 cm long Left Kidney: 3.23 g
& 3 cm long
Right Lung: 5.97 g Left Lung: 8.23 g
Large Intestine: 8.56 g & 4 cm long
Small Intestine: 25.43 g & 6 cm long
Case Study
Purpose

In this problem, I had the challenge of designing a death. The following

slides will showcase the clues left behind in the body and tell the story of
how my person died. This person may have died of a rare disease, an
accident, foul play, or a combination of factors. I crafted my story with an
autopsy report, medical history forms, and other documents.
On-Scene Detective Crime Scene Report

The victim is a female that is estimated to be in her mid-20s to early 30s. She
was located in a shallow grave in her front yard. She had visual lacerations
and bruises all over her body and wore a once yellow sun dress that was
ripped and bloodied. She was found buried in the front yard, a week after a
neighbor requested a wellness check to be conducted by police in which the
police suspected foul play after searching the house.
A bloody dented metal baseball bat with a bloody handprint was found hidden
under a floor board. A trail of mud tracked by human feet was found under a
rug in the living room. The UV light discovered a trail of blood that the
perpetrator failed to cover up, leading to the front yard where it is suspected to
be a burial site.
A broken wine glass was found at scene with white particles present on shard.
Forensic Examiner Report

Victim is suspected to have suffered from uncontrollable body spasm throughout

the body that made the victim move sporadically. Blunt-force head trauma was not
the main determinant of her death. It is suspected that a reaction to a medication
may have inhibited postsynaptic glycine receptors predominantly in the spinal
cord.
Coroner’s Report

Upon arrival, the victim was malnourished and had multiple bruises on the side of
the face and an open wound was found on the back of the head which was
suspected to be from a blunt force trauma to the back of the head. Victim’s dress
was ripped and bloodied. An excessive amount of hair loss was recorded.
Lacerations were present on both side of victim’s face. Defense wounds were
present on hands and right arm. Abrasions on both knees along with dirt and
blood was also recorded.
Police Report
Aurora Lily was 32 years of age at the time of her death. She stood at 5 feet
and 9 inches tall. She had a very pale complexion with long wavy brown hair
worn loose about her shoulders and hazel eyes. Close friends and family
account that she was a kind and big hearted woman. According to witness
testimonies from neighbors and friends, the last time they heard from her
was on October 31st at 9PM. The last person to ever see Aurora Lily alive is
suspected to be her boyfriend of 4 years, Weston Pierce. Weston Pierce's
alibi during the time of her disappearance was that he was on a road trip by
himself. Weston was unable to provide police with any evidence backing his
story like gas receipts. Weston also has no one to back his story, leaving
him as a primary suspect in the disappearance and murder of Aurora Lily.
Crime Scene Pictures (Luminol Detection)

Blood trail that leads to front yard

Bloody footprints likely left by suspect

Blood Spatters suspected to be

from suspect hitting victim in the
head with metal bat
Crime Scene Photos Part II: DNA Evidence

Bloody fingerprints on metal baseball bat (possible murder weapon)

Examining External Injuries

Depressed Skull Fractures to the back of the head due to hits by metal bat
 Weston Pierce’s Confession Part 1

"On October 28th Aurora and I were in a heated argument because she found
messages that I was having with a girl I met online. I tried my best to tell her that it
wasn't what it looked like, but she knew I was cheating on her. I didn't know what to do,
because I knew that she was gonna leave me and I couldn't let that happen. She was
the only one who would provide me with my drug money! Without her I wouldn't be
able to get my fix!! So the next day, on October 29th, I decided to go to my dealer. He
literally has every drug you can think of. So I asked him if he had any strong drugs that
could sedate someone for an extended amount of time and he gave me these little
plastic bags with white powder. I assumed it was just some cocaine so I took it home
and plotted what to do next. Once I got home I decided that the next morning I would
make her a cup of tea and slip the substance into her drink while she wasn't looking.
So the following morning on October 30th, I did just that. I slipped almost half the bag
into her drink and she seemed to not even be effected by it! I decided to wait a few
hours and then she was freaking out asking to go to the hospital. I knew that they
wouldn't test her blood so I brought her so I didn't look suspicious. The doctors
passed off her symptoms for a common stomach bug and let her go home. So when we
got home, she went right to sleep and I took that time to think of what to do next.
 Weston Pierce’s Confession Part 2

When she woke up the next morning, she went on her phone and I got really paranoid that
she was texting her friends bad things about me, so I took her phone. But thats when things
took a bad turn. She started screaming at me and saying awful things and as she was
walking away, I hit her in the face. I noticed that I knocked her unconscious and I was so
scared! So i decided to grab rat poisoning and poor it in her juice. When she woke up I tried
to convince her I was sorry and she let me give her the juice. Then a few minutes later I
noticed her convulsing on the floor. I was so scared and didn't know what to do. So I grabbed
my metal bat that I keep behind the door and hit her in the head with it. I think that's when
she finally stopped breathing. After I hit her I ran and hid the bat under the bed and left her
house. On November 2nd, I went back to her house and tried to clean up my mess with the
cleaning supplies I bought from Walmart. After that I knew I had to get rid of her body so I
dragged her body out the front door and into the front yard where I buried her. After that I
was positive I was 'home free', that I cleaned up any evidence.Her friends kept texting me,
asking me where she was, I just told them I didn't know. On November 7th, her friends and
family were really worried because they hadn't heard from her and November 7th was her
birthday and they had stuff planned. At 3PM on November 8th, I got a phone call from her
mother saying to turn on Channel 5 NEWS on the TV and at the moment I knew I was
screwed.”
Cause of Death?

Strychnine, the blow to the head only sped up the process.

Mode of Action- Strychnine causes excitation of all parts of the central

nervous system, It increases the level of neuronal excitability by interfering
with inhibitory influences on the motor neurons. The site of action of
strychnine is the substance is due to interference with the postsynaptic
inhibition that is mediated by glycine. Glycine is an inhibitory transmitter to
motor neurons and interneurons in the spinal cord. Strychnine acts as a
selective competitive antagonist to block the inhibitory effects of glycine at
the glycine receptors.
Final Verdict

Weston Pierce plead guilty to all accounts and was convicted of 1st-Degree
Murder With A Deadly Weapon and Murder By Poision. Weston was sentenced to
life imprisonment without the chance of parole.
Sources
BD Editors (2017, September 8) Autopsy. In Biology Dictionary online. Retrieved from
https://biologydictionary.net/autopsy/ (assessed March 18, 2021)

Strychnine Poisoning (n.d) In Wikipedia online. Retrieved from

https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Strychnine_poisoning&oldid=1003952110 (assessed on March 18, 2021)

John Harris Trestrail (2000) Criminal Poisoning Investigational Guide for Law Enforcement, Toxicologists,
Forensic Scientists, and Attorneys (Appendix: Some Common Homicidal Poisons)
https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/bbm%3A978-1-59745-256-4%2F1.pdf

Kranoti E (2015) Forensic investigation of cranial injuries due to blunt force trauma: current best practice.
Research and Reports in Forensic Medical Science. 2015;5:25-37 https://doi.org/10.2147/RRFMS.S70423

"Death By Blunt Force Trauma". Officer, 2008,

https://www.officer.com/investigations/article/10249149/death-by-blunt-force-trauma . Accessed 19 Mar 2021.