Citation

Froch-Cortis J, Skarupke B, Weber M, Rothschild MA. Rechtsmedizin 2016; 26(3): 169-176.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2016, Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group)

DOI

10.1007/s00194-016-0082-5

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Not infrequently, suicides or homicides are carried out by a sharp or semi-sharp tool through puncture, cut or slash injuries. Such tools have individual features through manufacturing and use that can leave individual-specific marks, especially during penetration of cartilage tissue, so that an unambiguous "injury-tool" assignment can be made. Since April 2012, in cooperation with the Department of Tool Marks of the Office of Criminal Investigation North Rhine-Westphalia (LKA NRW), Germany, tool marks in cartilage after puncture or cut injuries are secured by AccuTrans® casting material at the Institute of Legal Medicine Cologne. Together with the weapon in question, these casts are sent to the LKA NRW for a comparative tool-mark examination. Ten death cases have been included so far in the current project. In one third of the cases, the potential implements used in the crime could be clearly identified as the cause of the injury. The remaining studies provided inconclusive results. There were no false results. The casting of marks in human cartilage and possibly bones, for example by AccuTrans® casting material, and the tool-mark examination provide an easy-to-use method for exclusion or identification of the potential implements used in the crime as cause of an injury. In the absence of an alleged murder weapon, these analyses could help investigators make statements about the tool used. The cooperation between the LKA NRW and the Institute of Legal Medicine avoids the transport of body tissue because the casts on the injured cartilage are already taken on the autopsy table. The comparative tool-mark examinations are then carried out in the laboratory of LKA and rated by experts. © 2016, Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.

Language: de

Keywords

crime; human; injury; autopsy; forensic medicine; weapon; Article; silicone; puncture; Bone; cartilage; Human cartilage; Impression; Stick injury; Tool mark