ISSN: 0022-1198
CODEN: JFSCA
Page Count: 2

Centipede Inflicted Postmortem Injury
Asa, K
Chief inspector and deputy chief inspector, Yamaguchi Prefectural Police Headquaters,

Harada, K
Research associate, medical student, and professor, Yamaguchi University School of Medicine,

Yoshida, K
Research associate, medical student, and professor, Yamaguchi University School of Medicine,

Imachi, T
Chief inspector and deputy chief inspector, Yamaguchi Prefectural Police Headquaters,

Yamaguchi, Y
Research associate, medical student, and professor, Yamaguchi University School of Medicine,

(Received 2 October 1998; accepted 13 November 1998)

Abstract

We here report the first case of postmortem injury caused by a centipede. An old man was found dead in his bedroom. The death was estimated to be due to intracranial hemorrhage and to have occurred two days before the police inspection. A centipede about 12 cm long emerged from a subcutaneous cavity on the victim's forearm. Obviously, the centipede had dug the cavity on the intact skin. A police inspector was bitten by the centipede, so he stepped on the centipede on the floor. The exudate from the insect was identified to be derived from the victim's blood.

Keywords:
forensic science, forensic entomology, centipede, postmortem injury

Paper ID: JFS14565J
DOI: 10.1520/JFS14565J
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