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Fig.1 Arterial patterns on walls and floor.

Arterial patterns on walls and floor

| Accident, Medical | No Comments
Arterial patterns on wall and floor in conjunction with large accumulation of blood from victim with malfunctioning arterial…
Fig.5 The gunshot wound on the left was an exit wound.

Bloated body found in a lake

| Decomposition, Gunshot, Suicide | No Comments
The body of a man was seen floating in a lake near the shore. Once the body was…
Fig.2 Thyroid cartilage can be seen.

Suicidal throat cut after breakup

| Suicide | No Comments
This 28-year-old man committed suicide by cutting his throat, he was feeling depressed after a breakup with his…
Fig.1 Postmortem face peel-down examination.

Postmortem face peel-down examination

| Accident, Medical | No Comments
A postmortem face peel-down examination showing injury of and around the left eye with bleeding (hemorrhage). When injury…
Fig.1 Stellate gunshot wound.

Stellate gunshot wound

| Gunshot | No Comments
Contact (entrance) gunshot wounds to the head often show large stellate defects, due to the explosive blast of…
Fig.1 Inmate stabbed by cellmate in the eyes with a piece of wood.

Inmate stabbed by cellmate in the eyes with a piece of wood

| Homicide | No Comments
Turkey. A 54-year-old male was found murdered in prison by his cellmate. Examination of the scene and the…
Fig.1 Overkill-type injuries.

Overkill-type injuries

| Homicide | No Comments
New York. This individual was murdered by his male partner. Note the increased level of violence and “overkill”-type…
Fig.2 The upper front of her shirt was heavily blood-stained with around six bullet holes.

Woman was found dead with 6 bullet holes

| Gunshot, Suicide | No Comments
This woman was found dead in bed, fully dressed. The upper front of her shirt was heavily blood-stained…

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Fig.2

Animal scavenging on a murder victim

| Animal Scavenging, Homicide | No Comments
Mexico. A 42-year-old man was murdered and left out in the field. Animal scavenging had occurred to his…
Fig.1 Clothing can slow down the decomposition process.

Clothing can slow down the decomposition process

| Decomposition | No Comments
This image is an example of how clothing can slow down the decomposition process. Note that the skin…
Fig.1 Victim of blunt-force injury on mattress on floor of living room showing spattered blood on lower portion of couch.

Woman murdered with a baseball bat

| Homicide | No Comments
USA. A woman’s roommate found her beaten to death on a mattress located on the floor of their…
Fig.1

Examination of a dismembered corpse

| Homicide | No Comments
When deaths are violent, suspicious, sudden, and unexpected, a Medical Examiner performs a post-mortem examination. Medical examiners specialize…
Fig.1 Mummified corpse.

Mummified corpse

| Decomposition, Mummification | No Comments
Mummification occurs in hot, dry environments. The body dehydrates and bacterial proliferation may be minimal. The skin becomes…
Fig.1 Suicidal cut of the throat.

Suicidal cut of the throat by a chainsaw

| Suicide | No Comments
Germany. Suicidal cut of the throat by a chainsaw. No further info. Suicides involving the use of chainsaws…

Monthly Magazine January 2024

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Fig.1 Extensive maggot activity on the face of a decomposing man.

Extensive maggot activity on the face of a decomposing man

| Decomposition | No Comments
Maggots cause most of the body's decomposition because the maggot will do the majority of the eating. Maggots…
Fig.2 Another view of the decedent.

Homicide staged as a suicide

| Gunshot, Homicide | No Comments
USA. A 35-year-old male was found dead in the basement room where he slept, which also served as…
Fig.1 The position of the deceased at the death scene showing widespread bruising.

Multiple injuries in suicide simulating homicide

| Suicide | No Comments
A 47-year-old female was found lying unclothed on the kitchen floor at her home address. There was extensive…
Fig.1 The victim was hanging with plastic ropes on a treadmill.

A case of planned complex suicide

| Hanging, Suicide | No Comments
South Korea. Translated from Korean. The deceased is an unemployed 66-year-old man. After his divorce, he lived alone…
Fig.1 Stellate entrance wound on the lip.

Stellate entrance wound on the lip

| Gunshot | No Comments
Distant range stellate entrance wound on the lip. Distant gunshot wounds of the head may have a stellate…

The Death Mask Murder case

| Animal Scavenging, Homicide | No Comments
Rockland County, NY, US. In March 1985 some young boys found a charred and mutilated corpse in a…
Fig.2

Woman commits suicide by truck

| Suicide | No Comments
Brazil. A woman committed suicide by throwing herself under a moving truck. Suicide by truck, also known as…
Fig.1 Severe disruption of the face.

Severe disruption of the face

| Suicide | No Comments
This victim died after jumping from the third floor of a building landing on his face. Severe disruption…
Fig.4

The murder of two men

| Animal Scavenging, Fire, Homicide | No Comments
In March 2012 a charred corpse was found near the Shkotovo-Artem highway in Russia. The corpse was discovered…
Fig.1 Man cut in two parts by train.

Man cut in two parts by train

| Accident | No Comments
This individual was killed and cut in half when hit by a train, no further info. Railroad deaths…

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Fig.1 Distant range stellate entrance wound.

Distant range stellate entrance wound

| Gunshot, Homicide | No Comments
Distant range stellate entrance wound on the forehead. Distant gunshot wounds of the head may have a stellate…
Fig.3 A puddle of blood was on the floor under her head.

Woman killed with a baseball bat

| Homicide | No Comments
A woman was found prone on the floor just inside the front door of her house. A puddle…
Fig.1 Body found in a pond.

Body found in a pond

| Decomposition, Drowning | No Comments
India. This body was found in a pond, no further info. Associated with putrefaction is the production of…
Fig.2 Exit with cranial rupture.

Suicide by intraoral shotgun wound

| Gunshot, Suicide | No Comments
Russia. This individual committed suicide by intraoral shotgun wound. In the head, neck, and limbs, shotgun exit wounds…
Fig.4 A compound comminuted fracture of the head and face.

Motorcyclist’s heart skipping along the road and head split

| Accident | No Comments
USA. A motorcyclist changed lanes on the freeway to avoid stopped traffic ahead of him. As he started…

Monthly Magazine December 2023

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Fig.1 Suffocation suicide with plastic bag.

Suffocation suicide with plastic bag

| Asphyxiation, Suicide | No Comments
Spain. No info. Suffocation by plastic bag is not common. The finding of a body at the scene…
Fig.1 Dicing injuries.

Dicing injuries

| Accident | No Comments
These are short, linear, angulated, incised injuries caused by the characteristic cubed fragments of shattered tempered glass. Tempered…
Fig.1 Gunshot wound on the neck.

Gunshot wound on the neck

| Gunshot | No Comments
Gunshot wound on the neck, no further info. A gunshot wound (GSW) is a penetrating injury caused by…
Fig.4 Needles stuck to the face.

An overkill matricide

| Homicide | No Comments
Italy. A 73-year-old woman was found dead in her own home by the police. The police intervened because…
Fig.1 Plastic bag suffocation.

Plastic bag suffocation

| Asphyxiation, Suicide | No Comments
Cook County. The plastic bag prevents the physiologic breathing by rapid oxygen consumption and mechanical obstruction of the…
Fig.1 Contact-range gunshot wound on the head.

Contact-range gunshot wound on the head

| Gunshot | No Comments
This individual has a contact-range gunshot wound on the head. The head has been shaved around the wound.…
Fig.1 Lacerations from a hammer.

Lacerations from a hammer

| Homicide | No Comments
Fatal lacerations from hammer on the head. No further info. Claw hammers have the specific characteristic of having…
Fig.1 The victim’s hair covered her face. There was a belt wrapped tightly around her neck.

Female autoerotic death

| Accident, Asphyxiation, Autoerotic Death, Hanging | No Comments
Chicago, Illinois. The victim was a 34-year-old white female, who lived alone in an apartment on the north…
Fig.1 Advanced decomposition and purge fluid.

Advanced decomposition and purge fluid

| Decomposition | No Comments
An example of a body demonstrating relatively advanced decomposition, with bloating, skin discoloration, and abundant purge fluid. The…

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Fig.1 Skeletal remains of a body found outdoors.

Skeletal remains of a body found outdoors

| Animal Scavenging, Decomposition | No Comments
Nassau County, New York. Skeletal remains of a body found outdoors. No further info. Skeletonization is the state…
Fig.1 Massive head trauma from a suicide.

Massive head trauma from a suicide

| Gunshot, Suicide | No Comments
This individual committed suicide with a gun. He has massive head trauma and cranial rupture. The head is…
Fig.3 The mother’s partially skeletonized body on the kitchen floor.

2 mummified bodies found in Florida home

| Decomposition, Homicide, Mummification, Suicide | No Comments
Lehigh Acres, Florida, US, 2002. A 63-year-old woman lived with her 34-year-old son in a residential neighborhood in…
Fig.1 Stab wounds of the back.

Female psychiatrist fatally stabbed

| Homicide | No Comments
Italy. A 53-year-old female psychiatrist was fatally stabbed in her office in a Mental Health Center by a…

Monthly Magazine November 2023

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Fig.1 Postmortem animal predation.

Postmortem animal predation

| Animal Scavenging, Decomposition | No Comments
This individual died and his body was scavenged by animals, no further info. The phenomenon of postmortem animal…

The Essex boys – The Rettendon murders

| Gunshot, Homicide | No Comments
The Rettendon murders (also known as the Range Rover murders or Essex boys murders) occurred on 6 December…
Fig.1 Homicide and dumping.

Homicide and dumping

| Decomposition, Homicide | No Comments
Germany. This individual was murdered and the body then dumped in a river. A stab wound was noted…
Fig.1 Trauma to the scalp inflicted with a glass ashtray.

Trauma to the scalp inflicted with a glass ashtray

| Homicide | No Comments
Spain. The trauma to the scalp was inflicted with a blunt object (glass ashtray). The wounds could be…
Fig.1 Rapid skeletonization of remains due to water temperature and carnivorous fish species.

Rapid skeletonization due to carnivorous fish species

| Accident, Animal Scavenging | No Comments
Brazil. Rapid skeletonization of remains may occur in bodies of water in tropical areas due to water temperature…
Fig.2

Worker shredded in a plastic pellet mixer

| Accident | No Comments
February, 2015 - Nakhon Pathom, Thailand. A 45-year-old worker died in a gruesome accident at a plastic window…

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The October 2023 issue is out   With a monthly subscription the Shocker brings you unfiltered views of…

Massive head trauma severely limiting visual identification

| Gunshot, Suicide | No Comments
Massive head trauma severely limiting visual identification. No further info. At close range, the shotgun is the most…
Fig.1 Exit gunshot wound.

Exit gunshot wound

| Gunshot, Suicide | No Comments
Exit gunshot wounds are usually irregular in shape and relatively large – and may be confused with contact…
Fig.1 The victim is 37-years old male. The cadaver was found in the apartment where he lived.

A case of autoerotic death

| Accident, Asphyxiation, Autoerotic Death | No Comments
Bulgaria. The victim is a 37-years-old male. The cadaver was found in the apartment where he lived. It…
Fig.3 When Nikki was eight years old, doctors discovered a tumor in her brain that they initially didn’t think she would survive.

Porsche girl – The accident of Nikki Catsouras

| Accident | No Comments
On Halloween, 2006, 18-year-old Nikki Catsouras crashed her father’s Porsche 911 Carrera, driving at more than 100 miles…
Fig.1 Homicidal cut throat.

Homicidal cut throat

| Homicide | No Comments
Homicidal cut throat. No further info. Cut throats can be homicidal, suicidal or accidental. Homicidal cut-throats are a…
Fig.1 Tire marks on the skin.

Tire marks on the skin

| Accident | No Comments
This individual was killed when he was run over by a vehicle. One characteristic of traffic accidents is…
Fig.1 Woman’s face eaten by the family dog.

Woman’s face eaten by the family dog

| Animal Scavenging, Decomposition | No Comments
This woman’s face was eaten by the family dog postmortem, which increased putrefactive changes to the internal components…
Fig.1 Facial injuries sustained when a letter bomb exploded as it was being opened.

Facial injuries sustained when a letter bomb exploded as it was being opened

| Explosion, Fire, Homicide | No Comments
Facial injuries sustained when a letter bomb exploded as it was being opened. No further info. It is…

Monthly Magazine October 2023

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Fig.1 Three radiating petals from the entrance wound under the jaw.

Entrance wound radiating petals patterns from muzzle break

| Gunshot, Suicide | No Comments
The figure shows three radiating petals from the entrance wound under the jaw of a victim of suicide…
Fig.1 This individual died after getting hit by a train.

This individual died after getting hit by a train

| Suicide | No Comments
This individual died after getting hit by a train, no further info. Railroad deaths in the US totaled…
Fig.1 A man was found with his head, torso, and most of his upper and lower extremities completely submerged in a bathtub.

Alcoholic found dead in a bathtub

| Accident, Asphyxiation, Drowning | No Comments
A 42-year-old man was found with his head, torso, and most of his upper and lower extremities completely…
Fig.1 Stab wounds of the chest and abdomen.

Stab wounds of the chest and abdomen

| Homicide | No Comments
This individual has been stabbed multiple times in the chest and abdomen, the body has been washed at…
Fig.1 Beheaded Serb by a Bosnian terrorist.

Beheaded Serb by a Bosnian terrorist

| Homicide | No Comments
A war crimes investigation in Serbia and Republika Srpska of a beheaded Serb by a Bosnian Al-Qaeda terrorist…
Fig.1 South Bronx rape–homicide victim.

South Bronx rape–homicide victim

| Homicide | No Comments
Bronx, New York City. This is the victim of a rape–homicide that occurred in an unoccupied apartment within…
Fig.1 Open secondary skull fracture at exit of a shotgun blast.

Open secondary skull fracture at exit of a shotgun blast

| Gunshot, Suicide | No Comments
Spain. Open secondary skull fracture at exit of a shotgun blast. No further info. Head injuries from shotguns…
Fig.1 Avulsion and raccoon eyes.

Avulsion and raccoon eyes

| Medical | No Comments
Avulsion laceration produced from a shearing-type force, with a resultant ‘flap’ of torn & undermined tissue. Raccoon eyes…
Fig.1 Tangential gunshot wound of the left cheek from a 9 mm bullet.

Tangential gunshot wound of the left cheek from a 9 mm bullet

| Gunshot | No Comments
Tangential gunshot wound of the left cheek from a 9 mm bullet. If a bullet is deformed or…
Fig.1 Gunshot wound from a .357 Magnum.

Gunshot wound from a .357 Magnum

| Gunshot | No Comments
Intermediate-range gunshot wound from a .357 Magnum—range of approximately 1 ft. Irregular, cruciform, or stellate entrance wounds can…
Fig.1 Laceration of the right upper lip extending to the right nostril. Note some small lacerations and abrasions around the nostril.

Impalement of the gear stick into the brain through the nose

| Accident | No Comments
Japan. A 59-year-old male was driving a car on the road. The back of his car was hit…
Fig.1 Brain tissue that has undergone pulp-like transformation.

Brain tissue that has undergone pulp-like transformation

| Decomposition, Mummification | No Comments
Brain tissue that has undergone pulp-like transformation (burial time, 7 weeks). In the case of a naturally mummified…
Fig.1 Bloating and blood-tinged fluid from the nostrils and mouth.

Bloating and blood-tinged fluid from the nostrils and mouth

| Decomposition, Drowning | No Comments
Bloating of face and effusion of blood-tinged fluid from the nostrils and mouth. A body recovered from water,…
Fig.2 Note the large amount of avulsed tissue that can be reflected.

Pedestrian who was run over by a large heavy truck

| Accident | No Comments
This woman was a pedestrian who was run over by a large, heavy truck. Note the severe amount…
Fig.1 A suicide using a chainsaw to cut into the right side of the face.

A suicide using a chainsaw to cut into the right side of the face

| Suicide | No Comments
This individual committed suicide with a chainsaw into the right side of the face. No further info. Suicides,…

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Fig.1 Decomposition & bagged hands.

Decomposition & bagged hands

| Accident, Decomposition, Medical | No Comments
In this case, police and scene investigators were suspicious that this individual was killed by blunt force injuries…
Fig.1 4th degree burns on the head.

Fire exposure after lethal hypothermia

| Accident, Fire, Medical | No Comments
A 49-year-old woman was found dead in her apartment after a fire in a residential building in Germany.…
Fig.2 Anterior view of perineal wound showing near complete amputation of the phallus.

Unusual mechanism of penile amputation from an industrial-sized lawn mower

| Accident | No Comments
West Virginia, USA. A 69-year-old male who was found underneath an industrial-sized lawn mower in a rural area.…
Fig.1 Anterior view of the head and neck showing extensive scavenging of the face.

Postmortem animal activity on woman’s face by her puppy

| Animal Scavenging | No Comments
This woman was located deceased at home in her bedroom wearing only a pair of underpants, lying on…
Fig.1 Stab injury to the skull.

Police officer stabbed in the head

| Homicide | No Comments
A 23-year-old police officer was killed while on duty. The victim was attacked by multiple assailants, and one…
Fig.1 Complete destruction of the head.

Complete destruction of the head

| Gunshot, Suicide | No Comments
Complete destruction of the head from a gunshot suicide. No further info. Head injuries from shotguns and high-powered…

Monthly Magazine September 2023

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Bloated body of a woman after one week of submersion

| Decomposition, Drowning | No Comments
The body of this woman had been in the water for approximately one week. Notice the effects of…
Fig.1 The position of the corpse (after removal of the blanket lying on the corpse): lateral view.

Suicide with home made guillotine

| Suicide | No Comments
Germany. In early September 2011, after a 2-week holiday, a 26-year-old man failed to show up for work…
Fig.1 A 55-year-old man was found dead in his friend’s apartment.

Autoerotic death in a special metal construction

| Accident, Asphyxiation, Autoerotic Death, Hanging | No Comments
A 55-year-old man was found dead in his friend’s apartment. The victim’s body was suspended in a special…
Fig.1 Anterior view. Stab and incised wounds over all the body.

Homicide with a Japanese katana sword

| Homicide | No Comments
France. A 59-year-old woman was assaulted by her son with a Japanese sword (katana) with a total length…
Fig.1 Intraoral shotgun wound.

Intraoral shotgun wound

| Gunshot, Suicide | No Comments
Occasionally, people shooting themselves in the mouth tilt their heads too far back- ward before firing. This results…
Fig.1 Tentative cuts inflicted with suicidal intent.

Tentative cuts inflicted with suicidal intent

| Suicide | No Comments
Tentative cuts inflicted with suicidal intent accompanied by deep stab/incised wounds to the soft tissue of the neck.…
Fig.4

Mechanic sucked into a jet engine

| Accident | No Comments
January 16, 2006 - El Paso, TX, USA. A mechanic standing near a Boeing 737 at El Paso…
Fig.8 The fighter jet immediately returned to the carrier after the accident.

Sailor Killed in Aircraft Carrier Freak Accident

| Accident | No Comments
A US sailor from Macomb County was killed when he was struck by the wing of a fighter…
Fig.1 Associated with putrefaction is the production of gases.

Associated with putrefaction is the production of gases

| Decomposition | No Comments
Associated with putrefaction is the production of gases. These gases, primarily located in the abdomen, cause the body…
Fig.1

Suicide by multiple sharp-force injuries with broken glass

| Suicide | No Comments
This individual committed suicide with broken glass from a picture frame. No further info. Sharp-force injuries are defined…
Fig.1 Finding situation of the body.

Decomposing body found in apartment

| Accident, Decomposition | No Comments
On 11 July 2017, the dead body of a 39-year-old man was found in his apartment in a…
Fig.1 Extensive whitish-gray fungal colonization following a burial time of 7 months.

Extensive whitish-gray fungal colonization on corpse’s face

| Decomposition, Mummification | No Comments
Here we see an extensive whitish-gray fungal colonization on a corpse's face following a burial time of 7…

The use of dentures to identify a decomposed body from the sea

| Accident, Animal Scavenging, Decomposition, Drowning | No Comments
The body of this decomposed individual was pulled from the sea. The loss of tissue around eyes and…