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INVESTIGATION OF WOUNDS

Investigation of the Surroundings:

- Examination of the crime site
- Examination of the clothings and other foreign bodies found in the scene
- Investigation of the witnesses
- Examination of the wounding instrument

Examination of the Wound:

- Determine the age of the wound
8-12 hours – swelling of the edges; blood seals the wound and clots (scab
formation)
24 hours- acute neutrophilic response; epidermal layer thickened
36 hours – wound covered with lymph
2nd day – edges adhere
3rd day – seropurulent serum in the wound; granulation tissue formation starts,
neutrophils replaced by macrophages and fibroblasts, newly formed capillaries
appear, collagen fiber abundant
7th day- wound heals leaving a linear scar
- Determine the weapon used
Patterned wound
Testimonies of witnesses
Crime site
- Determine whether injury is accidental, suicidal, homicidal
Accidental Homicidal Suicidal
Direction varied horizontal;vertical oblique
Depth not deep deep deep
Superficial cuts may be present absent may be
Present
Wound incised; lacerated incised; lacerated incised
Body Position standing lying sitting;
Standing
Weapon used near the site absent grasped or
beside the
victim
Blood distribution on wound & clothing back of the body; front of the
Hands clean body
Motive accident present history of
Mental
depression,
problems,
alcoholism
Self-destruction none none present
Clothings stained w/blood distorted, torn, no change
cut
- Determine whether wound is mortal or not
- Determine whether wound will produce complications
Hemorrhage (Bleeding)
Shock (decrease in blood pressure)
Infection
Embolism (fat, blood clots, or air being trapped in blood vessels elsewhere
in the body)
Deformity
- Determine if wound is ante-mortem (incurred before death) or post-mortem (incurred
after death)
Ante-mortem Post-mortem
1. Hemorrhage is copious & 1. Hemorrhage is slight or
generally arterial (bright none; always venous
red) (dull red)
2. Spouting of blood 2. No spouting of blood
3. Clotted blood 3. Non-clotted blood or soft clot
4. Deep staining of edges which 4. Edges not deeply stained;
is not removed by washing removed by washing
5. Edges gape 5. Edges do not gape
6. Inflammation & reparative 6. Inflammation & reparative
processes present processes not present

- Determine character of wound

Incised, lacerated, stab, size, contusion collar, patterned wound, etc
Dicing wounds are caused by contact with shattered glass
Shallow “Z” or stepped wound is usually due to stabbing with a pair of
closed scissors
An “A”, “Y”, “L” shaped wound is produced when the knife is twisted as
it is withdrawn. It may also be caused when the person stabbed
was moving at that time.
- Determine location of wound
Determines the trajectory or course of the weapon
Wounds in concealed portions of the body generally indicate
homicide
Wounds sustained in the back of the victim may indicate treachery since
the victim cannot defend oneself
Deep cuts on the palm of the hand may result from the victim’s
grabbing of a bladed weapon
Cuts or wounds on the forearm may have been incurred to ward off an
attack or in self-defense
- Determine the depth of the wound
Not done in the living victim
Determines the mortality of every wound
If fatal wound was inflicted first= murder; if last= homicide
Determines direction of the wound; the relative position of the victim
and the offender
- Determine the number of wounds
Multiple number generally indicates homicide or murder
A shotgun inflicts several wounds. It would not have fired off
without first being cocked. Cocking the shotgun before
discharging it, shows a clear intent to fire at someone.
Defense wounds generally are inflicted first