heroin and Hematoma

Topics: Adult; Cocaine; Drug Users; Hematoma; Hemoperitoneum; Heroin; Humans; Injections, Intravenous; Male; Narcotics; Rupture, Spontaneous; Splenic Rupture; Substance Abuse, Intravenous; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

During construction work, the corpse of a 33-year-old man, H.L., who had been missing for 2 years and 4 months, was found in the cellar of a house. Primary findings indicated an attack directed at the throat (hematomas of the soft tissue and broken larynx). The owner of the cellar claimed, however, that H.L. had died of overdose of heroin and that he had removed the body to avoid trouble with the authorities. Morphine poisoning was confirmed by chemical analysis. The case is interesting because of (a) the good condition of the corpse after over 2 years, (b) macroscopic and microscopic evidence of hematomas of the cervical soft tissue, (c) successful chemical analysis providing evidence despite a long time since death, and (d) considerations regarding the vitality of injury findings.

Topics: Adult; Cause of Death; Drug Overdose; Forensic Medicine; Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; Hematoma; Heroin; Homicide; Humans; Male; Pharynx; Postmortem Changes; Radiography; Thyroid Cartilage