Diary of a Criminal Investigator-Chapter 337: Autopsy Results Report

Qin Yong sighed, "Let’s start with the basics. The interviews must continue, and we need to identify the deceased as soon as possible."

This wasn’t a formal setting; Qin Yong was just trying to get a general understanding of the situation.

After a brief report, Liu Guodong pulled Ren Qiang aside.

"Old Ren, you just mentioned the deceased sometimes rode an electric scooter to work with colleagues?"

Ren Qiang nodded, "It’s only three kilometers from here to the cotton factory. The couple usually rode an electric scooter to work."

Riding an electric scooter to work?

This detail caught Liu Guodong’s attention.

There weren’t many clues found by the crime scene investigation, just a charred knife blade and tire tracks on the unburned floor beneath the toppled wardrobe.

It now seemed the tire tracks belonged to the electric scooter the deceased rode to work.

But no remnants of the electric scooter were found inside the house.

So, where did the electric scooter go?

Liu Guodong promptly reported to Qin Yong.

"Electric scooter?"

"Are you suggesting the killer left on the electric scooter?"

"It’s possible. Otherwise, where did the scooter go?"

Lu Chuan continued his investigation.

Since the tire tracks in the house belonged to the deceased’s electric scooter, and it’s now missing, it’s highly likely that the killer rode it away.

Lu Chuan was checking outside the fire scene to see if he could find tire tracks from the electric scooter.

The tracks inside the house were likely left when it was unoccupied.

But the outdoor tracks could have been left when the killer rode it away.

If that’s the case, comparing the tracks, Lu Chuan might be able to estimate the weight of the person riding the scooter.

On the other hand, the fingerprints and footprints inside were destroyed by fire and the fire hose, with no findings.

So what about the traces outside?

Half an hour ago, Lu Chuan was tasked to find them, but he had no methods then.

After all, the scene was chaotic post-fire, with too many people arriving, leaving numerous footprints, and it was impossible to know if any belonged to the killer.

Even if they did, which ones belonged to the killer?

Now, with the theory that the killer rode away on the scooter, following the spacing of the tire tracks, they could potentially find the killer’s footprints.

4:30 PM.

Criminal Investigation Team meeting room.

Wang Changjiang began reporting the autopsy results.

There were two bodies, the female on the bed labeled as Number One, and the male on the floor labeled as Number Two.

"Number One, female, has a stabbing wound in the chest, directly in the heart. There’s no obvious smoke tracers or carbon deposits in the throat, airways, or nasal cavity. The organs are a normal color, suggesting the victim had already died before the fire."

"Additionally, there are knife wounds on the abdomen and lower back, three were inflicted before death, and six were inflicted post-mortem."

"The lower body was burned, but the autopsy suggests there was no assault."

Wang Changjiang detailed the condition of Body Number One.

"No assault, but there were post-mortem knife wounds. Were they in vital areas?"

Ren Qiang seized on the most crucial point.

Typically, post-mortem wounds by a killer suggest two scenarios.

One is to ensure the victim is thoroughly dead.

The other is vengeful, stabbing multiple times to vent anger.

Each scenario has its own characteristics.

In most cases, ensuring death involves stabbing vital areas like the abdomen, chest, or neck.

The aim is to ensure the victim is truly dead, focusing on vital areas, mostly through stabbing.

Vengeful wounds tend to be indiscriminate hacking, with wielding blades to hack, often seen in limbs, face, and chest.

"Not in vital areas, post-mortem wounds were on the limbs not burned off, with the abdomen and face showing such injuries."

Wang Changjiang scanned the room, seeing frowns all around, understood no one else had questions regarding Body Number One, and continued reporting.

"Next is Body Number Two."

Wang Changjiang switched slides to show aerial photos of Body Number Two at the scene.

"Body Number Two was found lying face down, limbs in a crawling motion, and here..."

Pointing at the photo’s floor, Wang Changjiang continued, "The crime scene investigators checked thoroughly. The ground had excavated marks, with blood traces."

"Although Number Two’s hands were charred, the marks didn’t completely disappear."

"Furthermore, Number Two was carbon monoxide saturated, with unburnt parts showing red marks, a clear sign of carbon monoxide poisoning."

"Additionally, we found clear signs of smoke burns and carbon deposits in the respiratory tract."

Generally, bodies that died in a fire, with inhalation of high-temperature gases, show red, inflamed mucous membranes in the airways.

In severe cases, the airways can be completely blocked, causing compressive asphyxia.

However, Number Two’s throat, while lying down, was exposed and mostly charred, thus not showing the inflamed condition.

Wang Changjiang managed to find redness in the nasal and bronchial pathways.

It’s not to say noticing one feature on a body leads to a definitive conclusion in autopsy.

It requires comprehensive analysis of other anatomical results.

For example, for asphyxiation in a fire, the lungs and organs’ state, stomach contents, alongside bodily and environmental conditions, need examination before concluding.

Seven years ago, Qinzhou City’s forensic team was criticized across the province for an erroneous autopsy judgment.

The victim died from carbon monoxide poisoning and later was relocated, with the body set ablaze.

The forensic doctor neglected respiratory tract findings, focusing on carbon-oxygen saturation, concluding death by fire.

Later, the culprit confessed while committing another crime, unraveling the truth.

So, for fire-related body autopsies, Wang Changjiang was very meticulous.

Only when all autopsy findings aligned would a conclusion be drawn.

"Also, Number Two had a prominent stabbing wound in the abdomen, matching the form of Number One’s stab wounds, likely from the same weapon."

"Was there any limb hacking on Number Two?"

Ren Qiang raised another query.

"No, Number Two only had abdominal knife wounds, with no other detected knife injuries."

Ren Qiang confirmed, nodding he had no further questions.

Qin Yong glanced at Wang Changjiang, who nodded, indicating he had concluded his report.

"Alright, let’s hear everyone’s thoughts."