ABSTRACT

Post-mortem dismemberment of a body after a homicide is relatively rare within the United Kingdom, and therefore, those investigating the case, including the forensic pathologist, may not have encountered it before. The examination of the body after removal of body parts, either as the method of homicide or to dispose of the body after the homicide, requires a different approach. The wound margins, soft tissues, bones and cartilages may bear witness to the event and hopefully demonstrate vital forensic evidence. Imaging techniques should be undertaken first, without disturbing the remains or removing or disturbing any wrappings. For the head, advanced imaging techniques such as post-mortem computed tomography (PMCT) and H-magnetic resonance spectroscopy can be applied to assess decomposition changes to the brain to attempt the estimation. By using radioactive isotopes with short half-life as well as characterizing bone's mineral composition, a picture can be built up of when the person may have died.