A man’s body was found floating in the ocean approximately one-half mile offshore. A gaping head wound was interpreted initially by police investigators to be propeller injuries sustained after the victim drowned. Attempted reconstruction of the scalp disclosed multiple curvilinear lacerations on the left side and back of the head. Examination of the underlying remaining skull disclosed multiple linear “chop” injuries that were oriented in different planes, not consistent with the parallel wounds expected from a propeller strike. There were clearly defined, linear wounds on the left lateral side of the skull, which span the temporo-occipital skull, and extend onto the left ramus of the mandible. The linear chop-type injuries are consistent with the machete that was used to kill the victim.
Fig.1 A man’s body was found floating in the ocean.
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