Attending ex-girlfriend's wedding, arresting the groom's officer on the spot

Xiao Lin quickly recorded the relevant data in the autopsy logbook. At the same time, he picked up a professional camera and took photos of the body's overall condition, lividity, and clothing from different angles, focusing on the blood-stained area on the chest and the rigor mortis area. He ensured that each photo was clear and well-labeled, providing visual support for subsequent forensic reports and case investigation. "Teacher Zhang, the photos are complete. A total of 12 overall photos and 28 detailed photos have been taken, all labeled with the location and time of each shot. They will be compiled and archived simultaneously."

“Okay, let’s begin a thorough examination of the body, starting with the head and working our way down. Pay close attention to any hidden injuries, distinctive features, or discrepancies with the initial on-site investigation.” As Zhang Kai spoke, he picked up tweezers and carefully parted the deceased’s hair to examine the scalp. The deceased’s hair was black, about 5 centimeters long, and coarse. There were no signs of dyeing or perming, and no obvious dust or debris remained on the hair. Only a small amount of soil was found at the ends, consistent with the soil surface at the scene, suggesting that the soil had been picked up when the body fell.

"Teacher Zhang, the deceased's head skin is intact, with no hematoma, lacerations, or abrasions. The skull has no depressed fractures or comminuted fractures. Pressing on the skull with your hand, there is no bone friction sound. The preliminary judgment is that the head was not struck by external force." Xiao Lin leaned closer to observe and reported earnestly, while gently touching the deceased's skull with his fingers to confirm that there were no abnormalities.

Zhang Kai nodded slightly and continued examining the deceased's face: "Eyelids closed, cornea slightly cloudy, conjunctiva with a few scattered hemorrhages, pupils dilated, about 5 mm in diameter, both pupils are the same size, without constriction or deformity; nasal mucosa intact, without damage or foreign object obstruction, no bloodstains or secretions in the nasal cavity; oral mucosa intact, without lacerations or bite marks, no vomit or saliva residue around the lips, teeth neat, 28 in total, no missing teeth, no dentures, no cavities, no abnormal tooth wear, no bleeding or swelling of the gums, no bite marks on the tip of the tongue, ruling out self-inflicted injury, bite after being restrained, and possible death from head injury caused by a blow to the head."

"Record: No head injury, mild corneal opacity, scattered hemorrhages in the conjunctiva, dilated pupils, teeth are straight and without abnormalities, no dentures, no cavities." Xiaolin quickly recorded, while marking key points in the anatomy record book to avoid missing crucial details.

The two then began examining the deceased's neck. Zhang Kai gently pressed the deceased's neck with his fingers, carefully touching the skin and muscles to check for signs such as ligature marks, strangulation marks, and abrasions: "Xiao Lin, pay close attention to the skin on the neck, especially the throat area, and check for any hidden strangulation marks or ligature marks. This is one of the keys to distinguishing between homicide and suicide. Also, check the thyroid gland and trachea for any abnormalities."

Xiao Lin immediately cooperated, carefully using tweezers to remove the clothing around the deceased's neck and examine the skin closely: "Teacher Zhang, the deceased's neck skin is intact, with no ligature marks, no strangulation marks, no abrasions, no subcutaneous hematoma, and no contusions or ruptures in the neck muscles; the thyroid gland is of normal size, without enlargement, no nodules, or damage; the trachea is patent, without compression or rupture, and there are no foreign objects or bloodstains in the trachea. This rules out mechanical asphyxiation caused by neck injury, further confirming the preliminary judgment of the on-site investigation that the cause of death is unrelated to neck injury."

“Continue downwards, check the shoulders and back.” Zhang Kai’s tone remained meticulous and unwavering. The two worked in perfect harmony; Zhang Kai was responsible for the examination, while Xiao Lin was responsible for recording and assisting, gradually checking the deceased’s shoulders and back. The deceased’s shoulder skin was intact, with no abrasions, hematomas, fractures, or dislocations; the back skin was intact, with no lacerations, epidermal abrasions, or subcutaneous hematomas; the spine showed no scoliosis, fractures, or dislocations; the muscles around the spine showed no contusions or ruptures; pressing on the spine revealed no bone crepitus, ruling out injuries caused by external impacts or crushing.

"No injuries to the shoulders or back, no abnormalities in the spine. How are the limbs?" Zhang Kai asked as he began examining the deceased's upper limbs. There were no fractures or dislocations in the upper limbs. Elbow and wrist joint movement was limited (due to rigor mortis). No fingers were missing or injured; nails were neatly trimmed, and there was no dust, fiber, blood, or skin tissue residue under the nails. No suspicious evidence was found. "Xiao Lin, examine the lower limbs, focusing on the feet. The deceased wasn't wearing shoes. Check for injuries, foreign objects, footprints, or soil residue on the soles of the feet to see if they reflect the deceased's activity patterns before death."

"Understood, Teacher Zhang!" Xiao Lin immediately shifted his attention to examine the deceased's lower limbs. There were no fractures or dislocations in the lower limbs, but the knee and ankle joints had limited movement. The toes were intact and undamaged, the skin on the soles of the feet was complete, without abrasions, blisters, or obvious calluses. Only a small amount of soil was found on the soles, consistent with the composition of the soil at the scene. No other foreign objects were found, and no obvious footprints were discovered, making it impossible to determine the deceased's occupation or activity range based on the skin on the soles. "Teacher Zhang, no injuries to the lower limbs, no abnormalities in the toes, a small amount of soil on the soles, no calluses, no blisters, and no other foreign objects."

“Okay, the physical examination is temporarily concluded. Overall, apart from the bloodstains related to the chest wound, there are no other obvious injuries on the deceased's body. There are no hidden abrasions or contusions, and no distinctive features (such as tattoos, birthmarks, scars, etc.), so the deceased's identity cannot be confirmed through physical characteristics. The condition of the body is completely consistent with the crime scene investigation record, and no contradictions have been found.” Zhang Kai summarized in a calm tone, then changed the subject, “Here comes the important part: let's begin examining the chest wound. This is the core of this autopsy and the key to determining the fatal wound and the murder weapon. We must be meticulous and precise, and there can be no negligence.”

Xiao Lin immediately focused intently, working with Zhang Kai to carefully cut open the deceased's black long-sleeved cotton T-shirt with scissors. The bloodstains on the chest of the T-shirt had dried and were dark red, hard and tightly bound to the clothing fibers. During the cutting process, the bloodstain's stained area, approximately 30 x 25 cm, was consistent with the scene investigation description. The edges of the bloodstain were blurred and irregular. There were no obvious wiping marks on the inside of the T-shirt, indicating that the bloodstains were directly absorbed from the wound without secondary wiping or movement. After cutting open the T-shirt, the deceased's chest skin was exposed, revealing three clearly visible sharp-force wounds, all located on the left side of the sternum, longitudinally distributed. The wound edges were neat, without serrated marks or tissue tearing, preliminarily determined to be caused by a single-edged sharp-force stab, consistent with the metal residue extracted from the scene and the preliminary laboratory test results. (End of Chapter)