ISSN: 0022-1198
CODEN: JFSCA
Published Online: 1 January 1985
Page Count: 4

Identification of a Murder Weapon by a Peculiar Blunt Force Injury Pattern and Histochemical Analysis
Zugibe, FT
Chief medical examiner, Rockland County Medical Examiner's Office Rockland County Health Center, NY

Costello, JT
Senior medical investigator, Rockland County Medical Examiner's Office, NY

(Received 24 March 1984; accepted 8 June 1984)

Abstract

Attempts to determine the instrument in the brutal killing of a middle-aged male resulted in the positive identification of an auto jack column as the actual instrument used. This was accomplished by the use of three modalities: (1) the edge of the jack column conformed exactly to a multi-curved laceration in the forehead (site of lethal injury), (2) blood found within this edge of the jack column afforded the same blood type as that of the victim, and (3) tissue sections made of the blood and debris from this edge of the jack column revealed tissue fragments containing human keratin (antihuman keratin technique) and positive staining with collagen stains.

Keywords:
criminalistics, injuries, identification systems

Paper ID: JFS10987J
DOI: 10.1520/JFS10987J
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