Unusual blood spatter patterns on the firearm and hand: a backspatter analysis to reconstruct the position and orientation of a firearm.

When it comes to firearm fatalities, the main goal of forensic analysis is to distinguish firearm suicides from homicides and accidents. Apart from the location of the entrance wound, wound path trajectory and gunshot residue, blood stain pattern analysis of gunshot-related backspatter on the hands of the victim can be an essential tool not only to determine which hand was holding the firearm, but also to reconstruct the position from which a weapon was fired. We present a case of a 90-year-old man, who was found dead in his house. Because of unclear circumstances and an unusual position of the deceased with a gunshot entrance wound to the right temporal region and a firearm found on the left side of his body, an autopsy was performed. Due to the unusual bloodspatter stains on the hands and the firearm, it was possible to deduce the position and orientation of the hands and the firearm of the deceased. We could reconstruct that the man held the weapon in his right hand, using the left hand to stabilise the firearm and the right thumb to pull the trigger. A contact shot to the right temple led to central regulatory failure due to extensive brain injury. The manner of death was concluded to be a suicide.

Kunz SN ，Brandtner H ，Meyer H 《-》

An unusual exit wound as a result of a shotgun suicide to the head.

The location of a gunshot entrance wound as well as the wound path trajectory are the main findings that help to determine the position from which a weapon was fired and thus distinguish firearm suicides from homicides and accidents. We present a case of a 28-year old man, who was found dead in his car. Because of an unusual position of the firearm, which was clamped into the steering wheel, and an unclear entrance/exit wound, an autopsy was performed. The deceased showed typical signs of a contact shotgun wound to the head with an entrance wound in the right temporal region and an exit wound in the midface. With the help of gunpowder attachments and a muzzle imprint at the entrance site, a wound channel from the right lower posterior part of the temporal region to the left anterior part of the mid-facial region could be reconstructed. The stellate wound in the midface was assessed as an atypical exit wound. The cause of death was a contact shotgun shot to the right temple with a consequent central regulatory failure due to extensive brain injury. The manner of death was concluded to be a suicide.

Kunz SN 《-》

Two cases of firearm grip impressions on the hands of suicide victims.

Poulos CK ，Peterson BL 《-》

Blood-spatter patterns: hands hold clues for the forensic reconstruction of the sequence of events.

Yen K ，Thali MJ ，Kneubuehl BP ，Peschel O ，Zollinger U ，Dirnhofer R ... -  《-》

Suicidal single gunshot injury to the head: differences in site of entrance wound and direction of the bullet path between right- and left-handed--an autopsy study.

Nikolić S ，Zivković V ，Babić D ，Juković F ... -  《-》