FOR35 5crAB04

ALBERTA DISTANCE LEARNING CENTRE
Abdul Rehman 10 Forensic Science 35 (5 Credit)

Assignment Booklet 4
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Revised February 2018

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Forensic Science 35 (5 Credit)

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Autopsies
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Autopsies ADLC Assignment Booklet 4
Value Lesson 1: Autopsy Procedure

26
10 Part A: Multiple-Choice Questions
Decide which choice best completes the statement or answers the question. Print the letter
that corresponds to your choice on the blank next to the question.
D
�� 1. How does the purpose of a clinical autopsy differ from that of a forensic
autopsy?
A. A clinical autopsy usually is performed in rural areas and a forensic

autopsy is performed in urban areas.
B. A clinical autopsy is performed by a coroner whereas a forensic autopsy
is performed by a forensic pathologist.
C. A clinical autopsy is done to observe the process of a disease or
condition for research purposes whereas a forensic autopsy is done to
determine the cause of death.
D. Police can order a forensic autopsy if the death is suspicious; however, a
clinical autopsy must have the permission of the next of kin.
A
�� 2. What is the significance of the forensic team maintaining the position of the
body and of the body bag being locked before transporting of the body?
A. The position is maintained to make inferences about the cause of death,

and the body bag is locked to ensure all the evidence was from the crime
scene and nothing is missing.
B. The position is maintained to prevent any further injury to the body, and
the body bag is locked to prevent body snatching.
C. The position is maintained to maintain corpse circulation, and the body
bag is locked to prevent losing organs during transport.
D. The position of the body is maintained to prevent further bruising, and
the body bag is locked to prevent misidentification of the body.
B
�� 3. In a homicide investigation, the forensic team covers the hands of the victim
A. to increase condensation in the bag, which will clean the hands before
the examination
B. to reduce condensation and microbial growth that might destroy or alter
the evidence
C. to increase the condensation in the bag so evidence can be collected
easily from inside the bag
D. to reduce any condensation on the hands because it could wash away all
the evidence
Forensic Science 35 (5 Credit) 1

ADLC Assignment Booklet 4 Autopsies
C
�� 4. A bread knife is used to make the slices of organs very thin to
A. preserve the tissues in formaldehyde (Otherwise, not all the cells would
be exposed to the chemical.)
B. ensure chemical tests will be able to be performed on the organ sample
C. to allow light to pass through during microscopic analysis
D. to see in a systematic way the progression of a disease throughout the
organ
D
�� 5. For what is the Stryker saw used? How has it been designed for its
purpose?
A. The Stryker saw is used to cut into the bone. It is designed to cut into
large bones while keeping the outer tissue intact.
B. The Stryker saw is used to open complicated organs such as the heart.
It is designed to make small precise cuts.
C. The Stryker saw is used to cut open the skull. It is designed to slice the
brain tissue into even sections while cutting through the hard skull.
D. The Stryker saw is used to cut into the skull. It is designed to cut into the
skull while keeping the soft brain intact.
D
�� 6. During a pneumothorax, the swelling of the chest is the result of an injury
that has caused
A. an increase in the size of the lungs

B. internal bleeding in the chest cavity
C. the air pressure to increase inside the chest
D. the air pressure to decrease inside the chest
D
�� 7. How are injuries related to receiving CPR similar to blunt force trauma
injuries of the chest?
A. Bruising in the chest area results from very little force.

B. The force of the head pressing against the floor during CPR can cause
similar injuries.
C. The process of CPR can produce the same force as the impact of a car.
D. To restart the heart, the chest compressions during CPR require a large
amount of force.
2 Forensic Science 35 (5 Credit)

A
�� 8. Why might increased pressure due to fluid building in the pericardium cause
contraction of the heart muscle to be more difficult?
A. Increased pressure on the outside of the heart does not allow the muscle
to expand fully.
B. Increased pressure on the outside of the heart blocks the coronary
arteries.
C. Increased pressure on the inside of the heart might close vital valves
needed for blood pressure.
D. Increased pressure inside the heart might cause the blood to move
without control.
B
�� 9. A forensic pathologist does an autopsy on a person who has fallen from a
roof patio in a local bar. He was in the emergency trauma bay for several
hours before he died of his injuries. His manner of death has been identified
as an accident. In what two parts of the autopsy report would you find this
“accident” conclusion?
A. Circumstances of Death and Evidence of Medical Intervention

B. Diagnosis and Opinion
C. Toxicology and Authority to Conduct the Autopsy
D. Circumstances of Death and Opinion
Autopsy Case Study 4.1: Vincent Foster Jr.
��
C 10. What caused the criticism related to no X-ray film being included in the
autopsy report for Vincent Foster?
A. Any metal medical equipment would be seen clearly.

B. An X-ray could have given more information about the direction the bullet
went into the body and the organ systems it travelled through.
C. The X-ray machine was malfunctioning and the forensic pathologist did
not find one that worked properly.
D. The bullet was never recovered, and it may have still been inside the
head. The forensic pathologist stated that because there was an exit
wound it most likely was not there.

Part B: Numeric Response
1. 2.
3. 4.
2 1. Match the picture of each tool to its use.
________
2 Used to cut through rib tissue
________
3 Used to cut into the intestines
________4 Used cut into skin or scrape away tissue
________
1 Used to cut through the skull (This is designed specifically to cut hard
material while leaving the soft tissue intact.)

Part C: Written-Response Questions
Provide appropriate answers to the following. Explanations are best given in sentences.
2 1. At the beginning of Lesson 1, the scenario of a suicidal hanging is used to illustrate the
difference between cause of death and manner of death. Propose a new scenario that
illustrates this difference.
For someone that has drowned themselves its most likely that the cause of death is
suffocation and the manner of death suicide.
3 2. Describe the differences of the three schools of thought concerning internal

examinations.
Rokitansky technique is characterized by examining all organs as they are found in
situ. While the Letulle technique is in which each organ group is removed as unit.
And the Virchow technique is characterized by all the organs being removed and
dissected individually.
4 3. Draw a line representing where the incision is cut during the internal examination. Circle
and label the two shoulder joints, the xyphoid process, and the symphysis pubis.
Sternoclavicular
Joint
Glenohumeral
Joint
© getty images

3 4. You are a forensic pathologist. You are performing an internal examination. Below is
a comparison of an organ you are analyzing. The picture on the left is from a medical
textbook. The one on the right is the organ from an internal examination. Write a
coherent analysis. In your analysis, you must include the following:
a. The name of the organ

b. A description of its appearance
c. A prediction of what type of activity might have caused its appearance
From a medical textbook From an internal examination

Courtesy of http:www.anatomybox.com
They are lungs. It looks like as if the person is a smoker. The lungs have darkened
color and have slightly shrunken up in some areas.
Autopsy Case Study 4.1: Vincent Foster Jr.
2 5. For the case of Vincent Foster Jr.’s death, state two things that the investigation team
could have done differently to ensure the case would not be criticised later.
Get an x-ray done using another machine or transferring the body to another hospital.
And they could've searched for the bullet.

Value Lesson 2: Cause of Death

29
��
C 1. Select the best scenario to produce a patterned abrasion.
A. A carpenter had an accident with a nail gun, which affected his left hand.
B. A small girl fell from a great distance while hiking in the mountains.
C. A pedestrian was hit by the front of a car with a distinct grill pattern.
D. An electrician was electrocuted by a DC power line and thrown back a
distance of 60 cm (2 feet).
��
B 2. What is the main difference among the three types of contusions: petechia,
ecchymoses, and hematoma?
A. The length of time the blood has been pooling under the skin; the age of
the bruise
B. The amount of blood vessels that have broken inside the body and, as a
result, the amount of blood pooling under the skin
C. The form in which the blood is pooling under the skin; in other words, the
shape of the bruise
D. The police response, which is only to cases where a hematoma or
ecchymosis is apparent
��
C 3. How can pathologists use the features of a wound to describe the unique
characteristics of a knife?
A. The wound is different depending if it is single-edged, double-edged, or

serrated.
B. The length of the handle and the sharpness of the blade give clues to the
amount of force needed to make the wound.
C. The blade and ricasso have a very distinct length and width that can be
measured from the wound and then compared to a suspected knife.
D. The wound reflects the material used to make the ricasso as well as the
length and width of the blade.
��
B 4. Which type of contusion looks very similar to Tardieu spots?
A. Hematoma contusion
B. Petechia contusion
C. Ecchymosis contusion
D. Bruise

��
A 5. Pressure on the carotid arteries causes fainting within 10 seconds or death
minutes afterwards because
A. the carotid artery supplies the brain with fresh oxygenated blood that the
brain requires to perform its daily processes
B. the carotid artery pumps oxygenated blood to the inside of the heart,
and pressure on this artery causes less oxygenated blood to move
throughout the body
C. the carotid artery supplies the heart tissue with oxygenated blood, and
failure of the heart to pump blood causes degeneration of the heart
tissue and eventually death
D. the carotid artery supplies oxygenated blood to the muscle tissue of the
legs, and pressure on this artery prevents someone from running away
��
C 6. Which breakdown of the word hypoxic describes its definition?
A. “Hypo” means above or more than normal; “oxic” means containing

oxygen.
B. “Hypo” means above or more than normal; “oxic” means containing
carbon dioxide.
C. “Hypo” means below or less than normal; “oxic” means containing
oxygen.
D. “Hypo” means below or less than normal; “oxic” means containing
carbon dioxide.
��
D 7. In homicide investigations, the most common form of injury and the most
common form of injury causing death, respectively, are
A. Asphyxiation and contusions

B. Blunt force trauma and asphyxiation
C. Drowning and gunshot wounds
D. Blunt force trauma and gunshot wounds

��
B 8. Contact gunshot wounds are shaped differently depending on whether the
wound is against a hard body part or a soft body part. This is because of the
different ways that the energy of the bullet are dispersed in hard versus soft
body tissues. Which of the following explanations explains why these two
types of wounds are shaped differently?
A. When a bullet enters a soft body part, the energy goes through the body;
when it enters a hard body part, the bullet will riochet from the site and
leave a deep graze.
B. When a bullet enters a soft body part, the energy is directed at the
wound site; when it enters a hard body part, the energy is deflected at
the site causing the formation of a star-shaped wound.
C. When a bullet enters a soft body part, the energy is diverted upwards;
when it enters a hard body part, the bullet enters the body at a faster
rate.
D. When a bullet enters a soft body part, the energy causes a large gaping
wound; when it enters a hard body part, the bullet dents the bone
beneath.
��
A 9. Where are the exit wounds of electrical burns usually found and why are they
there?
A. The feet – Electricity always tries to find a way back to the earth, and
most people are standing when they are electrocuted.
B. The feet – Electricity travels from the hand to the head because this is
where the most neural activity occurs. When it finds its way to the head,
it shoots straight through the feet.
C. The hands – Electricity is always trying to make its way back to the
original energy source, and the hand is often closest to it.
D. The hands – Electricity hits the spinal cord and, similar to a reflex arc, it is
directed by the body to the hand in an attempt to move the body out of
harm’s way.
Autopsy Case Study 4.2: The Tragic Death of Reena Virk
��
B 10. When performing Reena Virk’s autopsy, Dr. Laurel Gray found foam in her
lungs. Reena was found in a waterway. Dr. Gray concluded that Reena
drowned. How might Dr. Gray’s findings be different if Reena’s cause of
death was drowning but her body was found on dry land instead of in the
water?
A. Foam would have been found inside the heart as well as in the lungs.
B. Petechial hemorrhages would have been on the hands as well as foam in
the lungs.
C. Foam would have been inside the nose and mouth as well as in the
lungs.
D. Contusions would have been around the nose and mouth as well as
foam in the lungs.
Part B: Numeric-Response Questions
Use the following information to answer the next question.
1. 2.
Courtesy of Medscape.com Courtesy of http://
classconnection.s3.amazonaws.com
3. 4.
2 1. Match the picture of each condition to the label below.
________
2 Sliding abrasion
________
4 Petechial hemorrhaging
________ Hematoma
3
________
1 Patterned abrasion
2 2. Match the number of the common term on the left with the appropriate medical term
listed on the right.
1. Scrape _______
4 Contusion
2. Bruise _______
3 Sharp force trauma
3. Cut _______
2 Hemorrhage
4. Heavy Bleeding _______
1 Abrasion

3 1. Describe the difference between subject-dependent factors and object-dependent

factors when describing blunt force trauma injuries. For each factor, give an example to
help differentiate.
2 2. Police found a 35-year-old woman on her apartment floor. The woman had a
hematoma on her head. This prompted the police to request an autopsy. The forensic
pathologist found several contusions in varying degrees of healing throughout her body.
Why did the police request an autopsy? What do these findings suggest?
3 3. Describe how contact, close contact, and long-range gunshot entry wounds differ.
Include the distance the gun likely would be from the victim.

7 4. As the leading forensic pathologist in Alberta, you can be called to work at night. You
enter the examination suite to find a male body. You are handed the working copy
of the autopsy report. Use the pictures on the next page to complete the diagnosis
section of the report as well as the opinion. The diagnosis is a description of the
injuries seen using the terminology given in the module booklet. For this opinion
section, state the cause of death and the manner of death.
Hint: Remember that at death the heart stops pumping blood so there will be minimal
evidence of bleeding.
Justice and
Solicitor
General Office of the Chief Medical Examiner
Autopsy Report
Decedent: unknown Address: unknown
Description and Clothing: A well-built male of approximately 25 years of caucasion descent, he has black
hair and brown eyes. His face contains a goatee type facial. He is 5 feet 11 inches tall and weighs 97.5 kg
(215 lbs). He is wearing blue and white motorcycle gear that has been torn in the torso section as well as the
knees.
Authority to conduct autopsy: Calgary Police Service due to the suspicious nature of this death.
Toxicology: Blood alcohol concentration (BAC) was 0.04, which is below the legal limit. A large amount of cocaine was
found in the blood screening process.
Description of the scene: The deceased was found lying face up on the ground with a large amount of blood on the
ground. A motorcycle was lying on its side approximately 3 metres (10 feet) from the body in the direction of his head.
When emergency crews arrived at the scene, the deceased exhibited no signs of life and he was pronounced dead on arrival
at the hospital. No identification was found on or near the body.
Evidence of medical intervention: No medical intervention was performed due to the deceased being dead on arrival
(DOA).
Diagnosis:
Opinion:

Gunshot in upper left portion

Photograph taken after the body of the chest.
had been removed. The jacket of the motorcycle gear had
been torn in the accident
© istock Courtesy of Medscape.com
Photograph of his back. Photograph of his leg.

Note: Two injuries must be listed from Note: Two injuries must be described
this picture. from this photo.
Adapted from iStock © getty images

Value Lesson 3: Time of Death

28
��
C 1. Why is pinpointing a precise time of death so difficult?
A. The measurements that forensic pathologist use can be affected greatly

by several factors such as weather or clothing.
B. The technological devices that pathologists use do not have the ability to
be very precise.
C. Scientists cannot agree on which measurement shows the precise time
of death.
D. Most forensic pathologists do not take into account enough factors to
pinpoint exact times of death.
��
C 2. Newton’s law of cooling states that an object loses heat at a constant rate.
Dr. Rainy found that a post-mortem body has a “lag” period before it begins
cooling. What accounts for this inconsistency?
A. The body’s fat stores insulate and retain heat for two hours.
B. While muscle tissue goes through rigor mortis, it releases heat.
C. Both body and foreign cells are releasing heat while they use reserve
oxygen in cellular respiration.
D. Body cells are fighting foreign bacteria, and during this process, they
release heat.
��
B 3. What causes livor mortis?
A. The blood vessels have been torn due to the weight of the person on a
hard surface.
B. The blood pools inside the blood vessels due to the force of gravity.
C. The blood is pushed to the outer edge of the skin from the pressure of
the organs expanding.
D. Gases build up inside the body and push the blood to the outer edges of
the skin.

��
A 4. What causes rigor mortis?
A. The muscles are in a constant stated of flexion because of a lack of ATP

available to break the myosin head from the actin protein structure.
B. The muscles are in constant flexion because of a lack of ATP available to
connect the myosin head to the actin protein structure.
C. The muscles are in constant relaxation because of a lack of ATP
available to break the myosin head from the actin protein structure.
D. The muscles are in constant relaxation because of a lack of ATP
available to connect the myosin head to the actin protein structure.
��
C 5. A forensic pathologist is at the scene of a crime, which is an affluent home
located near downtown Calgary. Two bodies are in a suspected accident-
suicide. It seems as if the child had died due to drowning and the mother
committed suicide afterwards. In the young boy, the livor mortis blanches
when it is touched. In the mother, the livor mortis is still spotted and the
spots have not come together completely. In what time period did these
people die?
Time for the child Time for the mother

A. 2 hours to 12 hours After 12 hours
B. 30 minutes to 2 hours 2 hours to 12 hours
C. 2 hours to 12 hours 30 minutes to 2 hours
D. After 12 hours 30 minutes to 2 hours
��
A 6. What causes rigor mortis to stop after a few days?
A. The body begins to go through the process of autolysis, which is when

the enzymes break down cell tissue.
B. The body is starting putrefaction. The gases inside the body begin to
make the muscles more pliable.
C. Bacteria in the body begins to feed on muscle tissue which makes the
muscle more pliable.
D. The body begins to go through the mummification process, which
causes the skin to dry.

��
C 7. Provide the best terms for the two blanks in the following statement:
i
The vitreous humor is a clear jelly contained _____ ii
of the eye. Its _____
concentration is measureable and increases steadily after death, which can
help determine when death occurred.
i. in front of the lens, ii. potassium

A.
i. between the retina and lens, ii. sodium
B.
i. between the retina and lens, ii. potassium
C.
i. in front of the lens, ii. sodium
D.
��
D 8. Which of the following prefixes lead to the correct definition of autolysis and
hemolysis?
Prefix “auto” means Prefix “hemo” means Suffix “lysis” means

A. other saliva loosening or dissolving
B. other blood tightening or contraction
C. self urine tightening or contraction
D. self blood loosening or dissolving
��
B 9. The police entered a man’s residence because he did not show up at work
and people were worried about him. In his bathroom, they found his body
with a large contusion on the forehead. The forensic pathologist recorded
the body’s temperature as 32º C. The livor mortis still blanched at the touch.
He broke the rigor mortis at the knees. When he arrived at the examination
suite, he realized that the rigor had reset. How long do you think this body
has been dead? (Remember the graph at the end of the lesson.)
A. 12 hours
B. 7 hours
C. 10 hours
D. 2 hours

Autopsy Case Study 4.3: The Death of Randy Sheffield
�� 10. What form of autopsy evidence helped to prosecute Doretta Sheffield and
why?
A. Randy Sheffield’s rigor mortis placed his death at 2 p.m. when Doretta
was out doing errands.
B. Randy Sheffield’s livor mortis still blanched, placing his death between
9:30 a.m. and 7:45 p.m., when Doretta was still home.
C. Randy Sheffield’s stomach contents placed his death between 8:30 a.m.
and 9:30 a.m., when Doretta was still home.
D. Randy Sheffield’s vitreous humor potassium concentration placed his
death between 8:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m., when Doretta was still home.
1. An old woman died peacefully in her sleep. Her nurse had been in her room 15 minutes
previously and she had shallow breathing.
2. A man is discovered on the side of the road early in the morning; the assumption is that
he was there 6 to 8 hours.
3. A rancher has found one of his cattle in a field succumbed to a sickness. He had the
vet examine her two days ago and was told to let her roam in the field.
4. A husband woke to find his wife dead at the breakfast table. She was ready for work.
2 1. Match each scenario above with the most effective way to time when death occurred.
Place the numbers of each scenario in the blank below.
________
3 blowfly larvae
________
1 rigor mortis
________
2 livor mortis
________
4 stomach contents

1. A man on an airplane was thought to be sleeping on an 8-hour flight from Edmonton to

Paris, France. When he was noticed, the livor mortis in his body had almost all come
together to form a bluish purple discoloration on his buttocks and feet.
2. Poor Fluffy the cat was hit by a car. When he was discovered, he had blowfly larvae in
his ears.
3. A panhandling local homeless man was found dead. The body started to stiffen on the
way to the morgue.
4. A known gang member was gunned down by a rival gang in a back alley downtown.
Several calls had come into police alerting them to the gunfire. His temperature
30 minutes after the call was 30ºC.
2 2. Place the corresponding number that matches the amount of time since death in each
scenario.
________
3 Under 4 hours
________
4 Under 2 hours
________
1 About 7 hours
________
2 1 day

2 1. Describe why pinpointing an exact time of death is difficult although several

measurements can be used.
The sooner after death a body is examined the easier it is to estimate the exact
time of death. However, the body goes through unpredictable changes which vary
from person to person. A persons diet, health and environment can affect this process.
3 2. What happens to the lividity of a body when pressure is applied in a pattern? Why does
this happen?
Lividity becomes evident within several hours of death and can be “blanched” early
in the process when pressure is applied. This occurs becuase there is no more blood
circulation and the blood pools in an specific area.
2 3. Why would a forensic pathologist want to “break” a body’s rigor mortis? What purpose
does this serve?
To see if the rigor comes back to the body. This can help to find since when a person
has died.

4. You have just arrived at the scene of a crime at 3 a.m. The person was the victim of
a brutal stabbing. The police have a prime suspect, but he was picked up during the
evening for a petty crime and has been in police custody since 10 p.m.
These are your notes:
4 a. When do you think this person died? Justify your answer using the information in
your notes.
1 b. Based on the notes provided above and your knowledge of the processes that
happen to a body after death, explain why you think the suspect could or could not
have committed this murder.
2 c. After transporting the body to the examination suite, your forensic photographer has
asked you why the body is still warm. What can you tell him?

Value Lesson 4: Crime Case Study – The Crimes of Paul Bernado,

24 Karla Homolka and Colonel Russell Williams
Crime Case Study 4.4: The Crimes of Paul Bernado and Karla Homolka
��
B 1. What was the most significant piece of evidence that should have been
investigated further when Tammy Homolka was brought to the hospital?
A. Tammy’s vomit on the floor

B. The large raspberry-coloured bruise on Tammy’s face
C. The blanket in the washing machine
D. A sports injury from years earlier
A
�� 2. What drug did Paul Bernardo add to Tammy Homolka’s drink?
A. Halcion
B. Penicillin
C. Halothane
D. Morphine
��
C 3. What caused investigators to identify the body encased in concrete as that
of Leslie Mahaffy? Who was involved?
A. A specialized sports medicine doctor identified Leslie’s previous knee

injury.
B. A specialized dentist identified previous fillings and a tooth missing from
Leslie’s jaw.
C. A specialized dentist and orthodontist identified the unique braces on
Leslie’s teeth.
D. A specialized dermatologist identified eczema Leslie had since she was a
child.

��
D 4. What caused Kristen French’s parents to be concerned that she might be
missing before most parents would be concerned?
A. Kristen owned a car and she was a fast driver. Her mom was concerned
when she saw Kristen’s car drive past her workplace.
B. Kristen had a swimming tournament that day. She loved swimming and
would not miss a tournament. Her coach called the parents when she
was not there promptly after school.
C. Kristen volunteered to help at a local stable. She loved horses, and her
parents were concerned when the owner called to report that she was
not there.
D. Kristen owned a Samoyed dog that she loved very much. Her dad
worried when the dog was still in its pen a half-hour after Kristen’s
normal schedule.
��
B 5. What was the basis of the outrage expressed when Karla Homolka’s lighter
sentence was announced?
A. People felt that evidence indicated that Karla was not in the house when
most of the crimes had been committed.
B. Karla claimed that she was a beaten wife and that this caused her to go
through with what she did. The videotapes show her clearly as a willing
partner in the crimes.
C. People felt that Karla must have been the subject of an abusive
relationship with a psychopath. They felt the sentence should have been
lighter.
D. Evidence was that Karla had planned most of the attacks. She was the
director of the crimes and, therefore, should have received the longer
sentence.
��
C 6. When Kristen French’s body was found, she was in the prone position, or
face down, with her right arm under her body and extended to the left. What
would you expect to see on the body if this is how it was placed soon after
her death?
A. The lividity shown on the hand would be only on the top side because
that was closest to the ground when she was found.
B. The timing of her death would be shown clearly by the lividity mark on
her right side.
C. The lividity of the front of the body would show a white mark resembling
her arm and hand. The blood vessels in that area had been closed by
the pressure of her arm.
D. The rigor mortis would have been more pronounced in the elbow
because of its immobility under her body.

Case Study 4.5: The Crimes and Shocking Double Life of

Colonel Russell Williams
��
D 7. What part of Marie-France Comeau’s struggle would cause a laceration on
her head and containing glass particles?
A. Williams threw her down the stairs in frustration because she was
fighting him the whole time.
B. Williams smashed her head into the bathroom wall after she attempted to
lock herself in.
C. Williams clubbed her with his flashlight, breaking the bulb with the
impact.
D. She tried to escape to the bathroom but Williams caught her and
smashed her head into the bathroom mirror.
A
�� 8. Marie-France was smothered by a pillow and her cause of death was
asphyxiation. What observations might the forensic pathologist have made
that are connected with asphyxiation?
A. Tarideau spots and a patterned abrasion of the pillow on her face

B. Ecchymosis around the nose and mouth and sharp force trauma
C. Petechial hemorrhaging and cyanosis of the face
D. Cyanosis of the hands and Tardieau spots on her thighs
��
A 9. What had Russell Williams learned and then changed for his second murder?
A. He learned to wait until his victim had gone to bed and turned out her
light before he entered the house.
B. He learned to cover his victim’s face in duct tape to avoid detection.
C. He learned to break the key in the lock to prevent anyone from entering
the residence while he was there.
D. He learned to tie his victim securely using military cord.
��
D 10. Which techniques used to time death could be affected dramatically by
storing a body in a cold garage?
A. Vitreous humor concentrations, rigor mortis, and contusion formation

B. Laceration analysis, vitreous humor concentration, and algor mortis
C. Rigor mortis, abrasion identification, and insect activity
D. Algor mortis, rigor mortis, and insect activity

Crime Case Study 4.5: The Crimes and Shocking Double Life of
Events on the Night of the Death of Marie-France Comeau
1. Marie-France went down the basement stairs to find her cat.

2. Colonel Russell Williams broke into Marie-France’s house to find out if she lived alone.
3. Colonel Russell Williams attached Marie-France to a post in her basement while he
replaced the basement screen and broke the key in her door lock.
4. Marie-France tried to lock herself in the bathroom, but Williams was faster than she was
in her weakened state.
1 1. The correct order of events for the night of the death of Marie-France Comeau is
______,
2 ______,
1 ______,
3 4
and then ______.
Case Study 4.4: The Crimes of Paul Bernado and Karla Homolka
2 1. Describe why analyzing Leslie Mahaffy’s remains was difficult.

Her dismembered body was encased in concrete.

3 2. Use the information below to give the time of death, the cause of death, and the manner
of death.
a. Kristen French was found with fly egg casings and the first stage of larvae in her
ears and genitals.
b. Kristen was found with bruises on her wrists consistent with handcuff marks, a
horizontal bruise across her neck, and a knife wound on her shoulder.
c. Kristen’s body was found dumped in a ditch close to where Leslie Mahaffy was
found. Her body was naked in a prone position.
The person has atleast been dead for 1-3 days depending on the weather conditions
in the area. depending on how quickly blowflies arrived at the area. The cause of
is the knife wound on her shoulder and the bruises on her wrists and neck. The
manner of death is homicide as the person has clearly been tortured and is attacked
by someone before death.
2 3. What other clues would have been found on the body of Kristen French to support the
cause of death you described in question 2?
Look for any other markings and the area in which she had died.

Case Study 4.5: The Crimes and Shocking Double Life of

4. The body of Jessica Lloyd was stored for three days in the cold garage belonging to
Colonel Russell Williams. Evidently, her body was in the fetal position on her right
side. She was struck on the head with a heavy flashlight, and she was strangled with
a cord. As a forensic pathologist, what types of evidence would you find on the body
concerning
3 a. time of death and how it could be affected by cold
1 b. position of livor mortis
2 c. the types of trauma on the body indicated by being hit on the head and being
strangled
End of Assignment Booklet 4

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ALBERTA DISTANCE LEARNING CENTRE

Abdul Rehman 10 Forensic Science 35 (5 Credit)

Apply Assignment Label Here

Revised February 2018

Forensic Science 35 (5 Credit)

Box 4000, 4601 - 63 Avenue

For Users of Alberta Distance Learning Centre Courseware

Alberta Distance Learning Centre website:

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1. Submit Assignment Booklets regularly for correction.

3. Check the following before submitting each Assignment Booklet:

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Front cover adapted by ADLC

Successful completion of this course requires you to do the following:

Complete all sections in each Assignment Booklet to the best of your

Achieve at least 40% on the final exam. In accordance with Alberta

Achieve a final course mark of at least 50%.

If you choose to use a word processor for your written work,

First Incident Second Incident Third Incident

The student is given The student is given The student is removed

First Incidence Second Incidence

Value Lesson 1: Autopsy Procedure

A. A clinical autopsy usually is performed in rural areas and a forensic

A. The position is maintained to make inferences about the cause of death,

Forensic Science 35 (5 Credit) 1

A. an increase in the size of the lungs

A. Bruising in the chest area results from very little force.

2 Forensic Science 35 (5 Credit)

A. Circumstances of Death and Evidence of Medical Intervention

Autopsy Case Study 4.1: Vincent Foster Jr.

A. Any metal medical equipment would be seen clearly.

Forensic Science 35 (5 Credit) 3

Part B: Numeric Response

2 1. Match the picture of each tool to its use.

4 Forensic Science 35 (5 Credit)

Part C: Written-Response Questions

suffocation and the manner of death suicide.

3 2. Describe the differences of the three schools of thought concerning internal

Forensic Science 35 (5 Credit) 5

a. The name of the organ

From a medical textbook From an internal examination

color and have slightly shrunken up in some areas.

Autopsy Case Study 4.1: Vincent Foster Jr.

And they could've searched for the bullet.

6 Forensic Science 35 (5 Credit)

Value Lesson 2: Cause of Death

A. The wound is different depending if it is single-edged, double-edged, or

Forensic Science 35 (5 Credit) 7

A. “Hypo” means above or more than normal; “oxic” means containing

A. Asphyxiation and contusions

8 Forensic Science 35 (5 Credit)

Autopsy Case Study 4.2: The Tragic Death of Reena Virk

Part B: Numeric-Response Questions

Use the following information to answer the next question.

2 1. Match the picture of each condition to the label below.

10 Forensic Science 35 (5 Credit)

Part C: Written-Response Questions

3 1. Describe the difference between subject-dependent factors and object-dependent

Forensic Science 35 (5 Credit) 11

12 Forensic Science 35 (5 Credit)

Gunshot in upper left portion

© istock Courtesy of Medscape.com