"Of course, performing autopsies is the job of a forensic pathologist, and what you just did with the trace evidence is the job of a trace evidence examiner. You also conducted interviews, which is the job of an investigator. And finally, you've collected all the evidence, which is..."
"Alright, stop flattering me. Go do what you need to do. I don't need to tell you, do I? Chuchu, Xiaotao, let's transport the body back. I want to personally perform the autopsy this time!"
"Yes, Group Leader He!"
Under my instructions, everyone dispersed. Back in the forensic laboratory, I didn't go to the autopsy room this time. The body was too large; a single iron frame bed couldn't accommodate it. We had to combine two beds. As we were setting it up, Ling Xiaotao, as if on purpose, brought up that matter.
"I'm just curious, why did they perform a masturbation on the deceased? Was it intentional?"
"The deceased was probably highly lustful in life, or perhaps he had such a habit. Treating the dead this way is an insult," I analyzed.
"From a criminal psychology perspective, that's certainly true. We can ask Xia Xiaoling, the expert, to confirm later."
"Li Zhiliang can also confirm."
A forensic technician brought over the family's consent for dissection. In fact, given the circumstances, we could have proceeded even without it. The deceased had so many external injuries, proving this was by no means a natural death.
Picking up my autopsy knife, I coated it with some yellow wine. It was actually the first time I was using it since I acquired it for dissection.
The reason for using yellow wine is that it reacts chemically with the blade, increasing its sharpness. The exact principle behind it would have to be asked of He Yan, an ancestor of my family.
I directly plunged the knife into the deceased's hard, obese skull. Xie Chuchu was a little surprised: "You cut through the skull cap without using a bone saw?"
"Yes, this autopsy knife doesn't require other blades and can handle any hard material."
"This... it's like cheating, isn't it? If I hadn't known you, I would have thought you were some kind of charlatan."
Xie Chuchu said, swallowing heavily, with an expression on her beautiful, fair face that screamed, "Senior, my worldview has been completely shattered."
I calmly cut open the skull. We had already discovered the gunshot wound at this location, so examining the skull was an essential step. I used an otoscope to meticulously and thoroughly inspect the cranial vault and base. I had already cleared away the adhering blood clots from the surface with alcohol swabs. The tattered clothes were naturally cut away with scissors.
These were pajamas. We had discussed it earlier. Lu Yangjia was taken away while he was asleep. Perhaps he was tortured for a period before being brought to his own home, then brutally murdered and dumped in the lake. And before that, those lewd acts were performed.
The murderer seemed intent on humiliating him before killing him. Who would do such a thing? Could it be the victim's wife, Chi Tianyun?!
If that's the case, then she and that male student deliberately went missing, conspired to finish off their husband, and the police still believe they are missing, so they wouldn't suspect them?
Noticing my contemplation, Ling Xiaotao waved her right hand in front of my eyes: "Detective He, are you back? Have your three souls and seven spirits returned!"
"They're back. Cough, cough, let's continue!" Saying this, I resumed using the otoscope. I had inadvertently lifted my head just now, and now I noticed that the bullet had rapidly penetrated the skull, creating cracks. During the process, it mushroomed and pushed a conical mass of soft tissue ahead of it. The entry wound of a bullet in the skull is generally smaller than the exit. As the bullet leaves the skull, it will ream a circle of bone at the exit edge, leaving a hole with an outward-sloping edge that is wider on the outside than the inside. This shape resembles an inverted pyramid. This is a clear conclusion of a gunshot wound. However, combined with the marks on the deceased's neck and muscle contraction indicators, we determined that the deceased's true cause of death was mechanical asphyxiation.
At that moment, I saw residual mushroom-shaped foam around the deceased's mouth. This type of foam doesn't necessarily appear during drowning. Although it is often found around the mouth and nose of drowning victims, it can also be seen in bodies with other causes of death, such as organophosphate poisoning, strangulation, epilepsy, or electrocution. The cause of mushroom-shaped foam around the mouth and nose in drowning: this foam originates from the bronchi in the lungs, formed by mucus secreted by the respiratory tract stimulated by the drowning fluid, mixed with air and water through violent respiratory movements. It is usually white and can be light red if mixed with blood. Due to its high mucus content, it is very stable and does not easily dissipate. In the current situation, its presence in the mouth and nose, combined with the compression and squeezing of the neck, and potentially carbon monoxide poisoning, makes the situation even more chilling.
To kill the victim, the murderer spared no expense. I believe that a simple revenge or crime of passion wouldn't involve such actions.
What kind of person is this murderer, and what are their psychological characteristics? After the autopsy, I need to consult Xia Xiaoling.
Xie Chuchu also noticed the signs of carbon monoxide poisoning: "This is too despicable. He can't even rest in peace after death."
"I feel the same. Don't be too upset. I'll draw the heart blood first, and then you can proceed with the urine samples!"
Ten minutes later, the collected specimens were taken for analysis. I then opened the deceased's stomach and analyzed the contents of his stomach fluid. Cross-referencing with the time of his last meal, I reconfirmed the time of death. Only then did I excise all the organs, having previously measured the liver temperature.
At this point, Ling Xiaotao analyzed: "The deceased's arachnoid membrane was also injured by the bullet, with significant bleeding. Even if he were alive before, this shot would have certainly killed him."
The arachnoid membrane is composed of very thin connective tissue and is a translucent membrane located deep within the dura mater. Between them is a potential space, the subdural space, which contains a small amount of fluid.
"That's right," I replied simply. Then I proceeded to examine the deceased's perineal area. I found severe atrophy of his testicles. I was puzzled at the time, wondering what could have caused such a condition. Could it be from too much masturbation?
However, the subsequent laboratory results answered my questions.
Xie Chuchu said: "The blood report indicated that the deceased had a significant amount of androgenic steroids in his body. Excessive use of this substance can cause male testicular atrophy. Additionally, we found sulfate in his brainstem, which should have been injected with a syringe. However, this was not the cause of death. After discussion and research, we have ultimately determined that he died while his neck was being bound."
"So, all subsequent actions were acts of necrophilia," I concluded.