His social âbehaviourâ was described as inconsistent ... O The medical examiner said that her most likely cause of ... Traditional and social media firestorm.
Homicide by Undetermined Means
What does that really mean? Ken Obenson MD FRCPC NB Forensic Symposium Saint John New Brunswick April 9, 2016
Case 1
10 year old boy Found dead in Mississipi river Hands and feet bound in duct tape
Reference: http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2015/06/02/barway-collins-died-of-homicide-by-unspecified-means-medical-examiner-says/
Police suspicions O Police suspected father almost immediately because: O 1. He and his wife gave inconsistent answers to
interrogation questions. His did not make sense O 2. His social “behaviour” was described as inconsistent with someone who had just lost a child O 3. He failed a lie detector test O 4. Had a record of prior child abuse O O
Reference: http://www.startribune.com/barway-collins-father-had-been-accused-ofabusing-4-of-his-other-children-records-show/308033971/
Fathers Explanation In entering his plea, Collins outlined what he claimed happened the day Barway was killed. Collins said he was angry about the boy misbehaving. Barway was supposed to go into the apartment, but Collins said he saw him outside playing instead. “I hit him and he fell,” Collins, wearing orange jail garb, told the courtroom. The boy was unresponsive and, Collins said, he was afraid he would get into trouble. In an attempt to hide the crime, he took Barway to the Mississippi, bound his hands and legs with duct tape and put him in the water, Collins said. *http://www.twincities.com/2015/08/02/father-of-barway-collins-i-killed-my-son/
Cellphone...Insurance O Cellphone records put Collins near the river the day before
Barway disappeared. Collins denied going to the river, but he could not explain why his phone would be there, according to prosecutors. O Collins was jobless, in debt and had two life insurance policies on Barway that totaled $50,000, according to the criminal complaint. O Two days before Barway went missing, Collins called his insurance provider, asking to raise the amount of coverage, the complaint states. O O
*http://www.twincities.com/2015/08/02/father-of-barway-collins-i-killed-my-son/
Case 2
18 year old white female student Unexplained disappearance of one months duration Remains found on an abandoned property
Reference: http://www.dailyprogress.com/news/local/graham-s-death-caused-by-homicidal-violence-of-undeterminedetiology/article_f85bf342-6f70-11e4-957d-675c5b22ddbf.html
Hannah Graham
Suspect arrested...possibly a serial? O Miss Graham disappeared on September 12 after a
night out with friends. O The man she was last seen with, 32-year-old Jesse Leroy Matthew Jr, was charged with abduction with intent to defile her. O Her remains were discovered roughly six miles from where the body of 20-year-old Virginia Tech student Morgan Harrington was found after she vanished in 2009. O
Referencehttp://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/hannah-graham-police-confirmed-remains-4502596
Injuries O Hannah’s left nasal bone had a piece that was broken
away. O The medical examiner said that her most likely cause of death was strangulation or suffocation and that both her nasal fractures likely occurred at time of death. O Morgan (the earlier victim) had rib and arm fractures but also a fracture on her skull that occurred at the time of death. O Their bodies were missing clothing including undergarments. O
*http://wtvr.com/2016/03/03/the-key-piece-of-evidence-police-found-on-jesse-matthews-bedroom-floor/
Cause of Death O On November 18 about a month after Hannahs skeletal
remains were discovered, The Washington Post reported that a cause for Graham's death was determined but was withheld at the request of law enforcement. O Later that day, the Albemarle County Police Department reversed course, releasing that Graham died of homicide by an "undetermined etiology". O
Reference: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_Hannah_Graham
Killer O He plead guilty to the murders of Heather Graham and
Morgan Harrington and to charges of attempted murder, object sexual penetration, and abduction with intent to defile from an incident that occurred in September 2005 in Fairfax, Virginia. O He received received multiple life terms.
O
Reference: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_Hannah_Graham
Case 3
3 year old girl reported missing after last reported alive a month previously Skeletal remains were found with a blanket inside a trash bag in a wooded area near the family home.
Caylee Marie Anthony
Background O Caylee's remains were discovered by a meter reader in a
wooded area off a roadway near the Anthony family home. O Reported missing by maternal grandmother who said she had not seen her in 31 days AND that her daughters car smelled like a dead body had been inside it O Casey, Caylees mom told investigators and her mother various stories
Casey's Car O George Anthony found a notice for a certified letter on their O O O O O
front door Went to post office to collect letter It was notification of his daughters car in a junk yard He went to pick up the car He and an attendant noticed the odor of decomposition but found no body Reference:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_of_Caylee_Anthony
Autopsy report O The autopsy report indicated that Caylee's remains were
completely skeletonized. Duct tape found on the skull O Almost all of Caylee's tiny skeleton was found, with the exception of a few small bones from the wrists and hands, fingers, ankle and knee cap. O
Reference: http://www.wesh.com/Autopsy-Report-Details-Caylee-s-Death/13166982
Caylees skeleton
Caylees matted hair
Mothers explanation O -That Caylee had drowned accidentally in family pool and her
maternal grandfather had helped with disposing the body O -Every bit of evidence challenged by defense but did not offer alternative explanation O -Found not guilty. Traditional and social media firestorm.
Cause of Death “ All those diseases, morbid conditions or injuries which either resulted in or contributed to death and the circumstances of the accident or violence which produced any such injuries”. O , “ The underlying cause has been defined as “(a) the disease or injury which initiated the train of morbid events leading directly to death, or (b) the circumstances of the accident or violence which produced the fatal injury”. O
O
O
Reference:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cause_of_death#International_definition_of_.27cause_of_death.27
Manners of Death O Typically 5: Natural, Accident, Suicide, Homicide and
Undetermined. O Some jurisdictions have a “unclassified” category O In Alberta it is used where alcohol was a factor O In NWT used for non-human remains O In Ontario: skeletal remains where it is not possible to
determine a cause of death O
Reference: http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/82-214-x/2012001/gen-eng.htm#ma
HBUM O Also called homicidal violence of undetermined etiology,
homicide by undetermined etiology, homicide by unspecified means. O Some believe it is not very accurate or helpful O “ “This kind of vague diagnosis (homicidal violence of
undetermined etiology) will present a problem.....,” said Hua, who has experience appearing in court to present medical findings – and also to pick them apart.” O Used when bodies are decomposed or dismembered but
clearly the victim of violence O
Reference: http://www.phillyvoice.com/inexact-cause-death-creates-issues-creato-case/
HBUM O Also called homicidal violence of undetermined etiology,
homicide by undetermined etiology, homicide by unspecified means. O Some believe it is not very accurate or helpful O “ “This kind of vague diagnosis (homicidal violence of
undetermined etiology) will present a problem.....,” said Hua, who has experience appearing in court to present medical findings – and also to pick them apart.” O Used when bodies are decomposed or dismembered but
clearly the victim of violence O
Reference: http://www.phillyvoice.com/inexact-cause-death-creates-issues-creato-case/
Defining characteristics of HBUM OObjectively suspicious circumstances OBasically an autopsy without obvious lethal injury ONo contributory drug toxicities ONo lethal native disease ONo other reasonable explanation ONot very common. In Miami they described 18 cases over a 14
year period OLike SIDs the diagnosis is a diagnosis of exclusion
Critical...
Essential to review medical history and death scene information Presence of drugs in non toxic levels does not preclude classification as HBUM If circumstances not suspicious then might be better classified as “undetermined” Classification as HBUM requires close collaboration and trust between pathologist and death investigators
Additional references
Matshes EW, Lew EO. Homicide by unspecified means. Am J Forensic Med Pathol. 2010 Jun;31(2):174-7. doi: 10.1097/PAF.0b013e3181df62da. The Orlando Sentinel. Casey Anthony. http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/casey-anthony/os-cayleeanthony-crime-scene-photos-photogallery.html Truecrimejunkie.com. http://truecrimejunkie.com/casey-anthony-crimescene-evidence-photos-video/ Truecrimejunkie.com. http://truecrimejunkie.com/wpcontent/uploads/2011/06/kccayleehairmat.jpg Truecrimejunkie.com. http://truecrimejunkie.com/wpcontent/uploads/2011/06/kccayleeskeleton.jpg
