Skeletal Trauma Analysis: Case Studies in Context

List of contributors xi     1 Introduction 1 Nicholas V. Passalacqua and Christopher W. Rainwater     Skeletal trauma analysis: case studies in context 2     References 6     2 Atypical gunshot and blunt force injuries: wounds along the biomechanical continuum 7 Brian F. Spatola     Introduction 7     Background 8     Gunshot trauma 10     Blunt force trauma 11     Biomechanical continuum 12     Case 1: depressed fracture of inner table from historic gunshot contusion 14     Case 2: depressed fracture from .32 caliber, short, Smith & Wesson projectile 15     Case 3: penetrating depressed fracture from detached umbrella tip 17     Case 4: depressed fracture from perforating blunt impact from edged metal foreign object 19     Discussion 19     Conclusion 23     Acknowledgments 24     Disclaimer 24     References 24     3 Over-interpretation of bone injuries and implications for cause and manner of death 27 Joao Pinheiro, Eugenia Cunha, and Steven Symes     Introduction 27     The cases 29     Scene context 33     Autopsy and police investigation 35     Discussion and conclusions 38     Acknowledgments 40     References 40     4 Skeletal injuries in cases of child abuse: two case studies from the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences 42 Jason M. Wiersema and Jennifer C. Love     Introduction 42     Case 1 43     Case 2 50     Conclusions 55     References 55     5 Blunt force trauma patterns in the human skull and thorax: a case study from northern California 56 Eric J. Bartelink     Introduction 56     Case background 58     Biological profile 58     Antemortem trauma 59     Perimortem trauma 61     Trauma interpretation 66     Case resolution 68     Conclusions 69     Acknowledgments 70     References 70     6 Patterns of skeletal trauma inflicted during the Spanish Civil War 74 Nicholas V. Passalacqua, Ciaran Brewster, Marina Martinez de Pinillos Gonzalez, and Jose Miguel Carretero Diaz     Introduction 74     The Spanish Civil War 74     Materials 76     Examples of trauma from Monte Costajan 77     Patterns of skeletal trauma 85     Conclusions 88     References 89     7 Shot and beaten to death? Suspected projectile and blunt force trauma in a case involving an extended period of postmortem water immersion 90 Hugo F.V. Cardoso, Katerina S. Puentes, and Luis F.N. Coelho     Introduction 90     Case description 92     Trauma analysis 94     Discussion and conclusions 102     Acknowledgments 106     References 106     8 Man   s best friend: a case study of ballistics trauma and animal scavenging 108 Gina Hart     Introduction 108     Bone biomechanics 108     Case study 110     References 116     9 Skeletal evidence of violent sexual assault in remains with excessive evidence of scavenging 118 Hugh E. Berryman and Tiffany B. Saul     Introduction 118     Case history 118     Analysis 119     An additional finding 124     Discussion 126     Conclusions 128     References 129     10 Neurocranial fractures 130 Jennifer C. Love     Introduction 130     Case 1 130     Case 2 131     Understanding neurocranial fracture patterns 136     Experimental studies 139     Computer modeling 141     Case studies 144     Conclusions 145     References 145     11 Blunt force trauma associated with a fall from heights 147 MariaTeresa A. Tersigni-Tarrant     Introduction 147     Trauma analysis 149     Summary 154     Case outcome 154     References 155     12 Low-velocity impact trauma: an illustrative selection of cases from the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command     Central Identification Laboratory 156 Paul Emanovsky     Introduction 156     Case 1 158     Case 2 161     Case 3 163     Conclusions/takeaways 164     References 166     13 Blast trauma 167 Angi M. Christensen and Victoria A. Smith     Introduction 167     Blast traumas 167     Experimental studies on skeletal blast trauma 169     Differentiating blast trauma from other types of trauma 174     Disclaimer 175     References 175     14 Case studies in skeletal blast trauma 177 Nikki A. Willits, Joseph T. Hefner, and MariaTeresa Tersigni-Tarrant     Introduction 177     Case background 177     Case reports 179     Discussion 184     Conclusions 187     Disclaimer 187     Acknowledgments 188     References 188     15 Burned human remains in a double homicide: a forensic case in Cyprus 189 Popi Th. Chrysostomou     Introduction 189     Case study overview 190     Initial anthropological analysis 191     Pattern analysis and injury mechanism 192     Taking the next step: in search for the torso 199     Discussion 201     Acknowledgments 202     References 202     16 The utility of spatial analysis in the recognition of normal and abnormal patterns in burned human remains 204 Christina L. Fojas, Luis L. Cabo, Nicholas V. Passalacqua, Christopher W. Rainwater, Katerina S. Puentes, and Steven A. Symes     Introduction 204     Classifying the severity of fire modification 206     Recognizing process signatures 207     Methods 209     Results 212     Discussion 212     Conclusions 218     Acknowledgments 219     References 219     17 Three modes of dismemberment: disarticulation around the joints, transecting of bone via chopping, and transection of bone via sawing, 222 Christopher W. Rainwater     Introduction, 222     Modes of dismemberment, 224     Case 1: Disarticulation around the joints, 225     Case 2: transection via chopping, 231     Case 3: transection via sawing, 239     Conclusions, 244     References, 244     18 Kreischer Mansion homicide, 246 Lauren Regucci and Bradley Adams     Introduction, 246     Case background/investigation, 246     Homicide details, 248     Search and recovery efforts     I, 250     Search and recovery efforts     II, 252     Initial findings/interpretation, 255     Search and recovery efforts     III, 257     Findings/interpretations, 259     Trial and conviction, 263     Disclaimer, 264     References, 265     19 Postmortem trauma and the    CSI Effect:    is television making smarter criminals? 266 Elizabeth A. Murray and Anthony E. Dwyer     Introduction 266     The    CSI Effect    266     Criminal behavior and forensic anthropology 268     The case 269     Conclusions 285     References 286     Index 289