Gill's Autopsy Report of Ricky Meyi's Death Examination

Gary R. Stanton, (707) 421-7000 I . QW Sheuff/ Coronet I IX) AUTOPSY EXTERNAL EXAMINATION NAME: Maw, RICK VINCENT CASE No. 2008-0054 . (SOL08-010) POSTMORTEM DATE: TIME: 0810 hours PLACE OF DEATH: Fleld DATE: FND 01-13-2008 TIME: 1601 hours AGE: 50 SEX: Mate RACE: Caucasian Aurossv FINDINGS: I I. Three quarters of the body surfaces with 2" to 3" degree burns absence of soot In the tracheal broncblat tree, presumably postmortem. ll. Acute pulmonary edema and severe. Ill. Artertoscleroels. A. SystemIo,mtld. B. Coronary,mlId. C. Cerebral, mild. IV. Severe rnacronodular cirrhosis of the liver. V. Epidural hemorrhage and fracture of the calvarium secondary to thermal injury. VI. Hepatosplenomegaly. VII. SYVA rapid urine test positive for opiates. CAUSE DEATH: of blunt force Injuries, (indeterminate). OTHER SIGNIFICANT CONDITIONS: Maoronodular cIrrhosiS. Comment: The postmortem thermal tnjufy to the scalp may mask blunt force trauma ln the head region. The severity of pulmonary edema suggests terminal eardlao event with duratlon in at least minutes. I OMAS H. GILL, MD. Forensic Pathologlst THGISG DI 01-14-08 01-16-08 Sheriff 'e Administration Coroner Sentenced Detention Facility Hall of Justice (707) 42l*7U0{) (707) 421-7500 (707) 421-7180 (707) 553-5201 530 Union Ave., Suite 100 520 Clay Street; 2500 Claybank Road 321 St., Room 101 Fairfield, GA 94538-6306 Fairfield, GA 94533-5625 Fairfield, CA 94533-1655 Vallejo, GA NAME: DOE, JOHN CASE NO. 2003-0054 2 The autopsy is conducted at the Solano County Sheriff-Coroner Morgue Facility ln Fairfield, Ga. The body comes in a black plastic body bag with a blue plastic seal which reads The body tag ls cut and placed in evldence custody. EXTERNAL EXAMINATION The body ls that of a normally developed, normally nourished adult Caucasian male. The body shows primarily and 3" degree burns. The most severe burn Injury is to the lower left extremity in the distal upper extremities, as well as the head and neck region. There is considerable skin slippage with exposure of the underlying subcutaneous tissue and in the tower extremities the skeletal muscle as well. There is probable animal involving the skeletal muscle ofthe distal posterior left lower extremity noted. Estimated body height ls 69 inches and weight ls approximately 160 pounds postmortem. The upper extremities show ilxion contractures at the elbow and wrist joints consistent with thermal injury. There is also tlexlon contracture at the left knee joint. The right lower extremity is much less involved ln thermal injury showing splitting of and exposure of underlying subcutaneous tissue and skeletal muscle in the upper 2/3 of the right thigh and particularly on the medial surface. The left lower extremity shows the underlying skeletal muscle as previously commented upon and shows exposure of the anterior medial and the posterior surfaces of both the thigh and the distal lower extremity. As previously noted, possible animal activity involving the skeletal muscle of the distal posterior left lower extremity noted. Clothing is fragmentary. There ls a fragment of a sock around the right ankle. There are fragments of what appear to be a white long-sleeve shirt and an underlying blue plastic material adherent to the posterior aspect of the right upper arm. The most severe thermal injury ls tothe calvarlurn and the lace. The burn injury is surgically with involvement of the skin, subcutaneous tissue, and skeletal muscle. The lateral aspect of the thorax shows sparing, scalp hair cannot be assessed due to thermal Injury. The color ot the lrldes and the condition of the eyes cannot be described because of thermal injury. The buccal mucosa and tongue cannot be assessed from external examination due to the contraction ot the tissues ln the perioral area. Assessment of facial hair again cannot be determined due to the thermal injury. The anterior surface of the neck does not show any obvious signs oi hemorrhage that could be due to blunt force trauma. There is a complex tattoo over the lateral aspect of the left upper arm which shows a grid pattern. Within ihe_ grid pattern, there are rectangles with what appear to be dates in them including the numbers "bt, 82" and then and there are the heads of several women with long hair also superimposed on this grid pattern. It extends from the top of the shoulder downwards tothe elbow joint. This surface is cleansed and photographed. On the lateral aspect of the right upper arm, there is again a monochrome elaborate tattoo over the spared areas of the upper lateral arm and elbow joint areas. These consist of a male head with a sornbrero which has "Brown" written on the brim and the head has a full mustache and beard, The woman has a head and shoulders and has long hair. This is a monochrome tattoo. Examining the back and posterior body surfaces reveals no tattoos; however, there is severe burn injury to the lower back in the area ofthe lumbosacral area. Here, there are 3" degree burns with destruction of the skin, subcutaneous tissue, and skeletal muscle. This spreads out over the buttocks areas bllaterally. The burn injury is fairly symmetrical. This is confluent with the previously described thermal injuries to the posterior thighs and distal lower extremities. On the right upper back, there is a wide band of 2" degree thermal injury with the skin surface intact. The back ofthe head again shows severe thermal injury. There is a layer of burnt cloth adherent to the right side of the forehead and right temporoparletal area which is at this point removed. ln the fragments of clothing near the right upper arm and face, there are a number of burnt feathers which may represent some lining ci a jacket. Closer examination ot the fragmentary clothing reveals a belt buckle which ls gold-colored and appears to be a brown leather bell. Some ofthe clothing from the thorax area appears to have a gray color. The external genitalia are those of an adult male, uncircurncised. The tattoo on the left upper arm ln its lower part ls more accurately characterized as a web than a grid area as lt is ld the upper portion. Similarly, the tattoo on the right upper extremity which described is having the word "Brown" is associated with the word "Pride". On the NAME: Doa, JOHN casa No. zoos-0054 (SOLOB-010) 3 lateral aspect of the distal left thigh, there ls a monochrome tattoo of a star noted. A star ls also seen on the front of the left knee as welt. All of these tattoos are carefully photographed and documented, ln other detail, it has come from further studying of the tattoos ls that the earliest dale ls "77" than followed by "8t" and than EXTERNAL OF THERAPY: None. EXTERNAL EVIDENCE OF INJURY: See above. INTERNAL EXAMINATION The body ls examined using the thoraco-abdominal and posterior scalp EAD: The reflected scalp, calvarlum and base ofthe skull are only remarkable for the thermal injuries previously described which largely produce exposure of the underlying skull. The temporal muscles reveal no hemorrhage. On removal ot the calvarlum, there ls epidural hemorrhage secondary to thermal injury. No subdural hemorrhage or subarachnoid hemorrhage ls present. The leptomenlnges are and dellcate. The tentorlurn, cerebellum, and talx are intact. The vessels at the base of the brain have a normal configuration and show mild arterlosolerosts. The braln ls symmetrical and weighs 1640 grams. The convolullonary pattern ls normal and symmetrical. There ls no evidence of contuslon, laceration, softening or hemorrhage. coronal sections show no focal abnormalities. The cerebellum, pens and medulta show no The dura ts stripped and reveals no abnormalltles at the base of the skull. The orbital roofs are Intact and unremarkahle. NECK: No are noted ln the anterior strap muscles, hyeld bone, laryngeal carlilages or cervical vertebral column. . BODY CAVITIESI The pleural and peritoneal cavities are tree of fluid or adhesions. The pertcardlurn is thin and translucent and encloses a small amount of clear fluid. There are no perlcardlal adhesions. The diaphragm ls lntaot and all organs are In their normal locations. The subcutaneous tat ln the anterior ahdomlnal wall measures approximately Inch. CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM: The 320-gram heart has a normal configuration. The coronary arteries arlse normally, and follow a normal distribution. The coronary arteries show mild arterlosclerosis. The enclocardium, pertcardlum, eplcardlum, tnyocardlum, and cardiac valves are normal throughout. The papillary muscles and chordae are normal. The aorta shows a normal pathway and shows mild arterlosclerosls. NAME: DOE, JOHN CASE NO. 2008-0054 (SOL08-010) 4 RESPIRATORY SYSTEM: The larynx and trachea are intact. The right lung weighs 640 grams and the left lung weighs 740 grams. The vlscerai pleural surfaces are dark blue-gray and the overall appearance is one of acute pulmonary edema and congestion. The traoheo-bronchial tree foliows its normal anatomic pathway and contains Increase secretions but no obstructions. The intrinsic pulmonary vessels are patent and reveal no thrornbo-emboli. There ls congestion in the dependent lobes of the lung. The out surfaces when compressed disclose a pink frothy fluid consistent with acute pulmonary edema. No focal abnormalities are encountered. GASTROINTESTINAL. SYSTEM: The tongue, esophagus, stomach, small intestlne and coton are unremarkable. The appendix is present. The contents of the stomach consist of approximately 150 ol' food particulate. HEPATOBILIARY SYSTEM: The 1700-gram liver has a normal size but shows severe maoronodular The capsule is intact. it has increase firmness and a light brown-tan color throughout. The cat surface of the liver shows a macronodular pattern of cirrhosis. The gallbladder contains 40 cc of reddishdarown bile of normal viscosity. There are no stones. The extrahepatic biliary system ls patent. PANCREAS: The pancreas is normal. ENDOCRINE SYSTEM: The thyroid and adrenal glands are normai. SYSTEM: The 240-gram spleen has an Intact capsule and normal parenohyma. The white pulp ls normal. The nodes are unremarkable. URINARY SYSTEM: Each kidney weighs 140 grams. The capsules are smooth and strip with ease. Sectioning reveals normal cortlces with corlioornedullary junctions and normal renai pelves. The uroters and bladder have a normal configuration and the bladder contains approximately 150 mt of clear yellow urine. The bladder mucosa is normal. REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM: The prostate gland is normal to palpatlon and when serially sectioned. MUSCULOSKELETAL SYSTEM: The bony framework is welt developed and well retained. No evidence of fracture, trauma or other lesions ls noted in the skeletal structures. Cut surfaces of the muscles show no abnormalities. SPECIMENS FOR HISTOLOGY: Representative tissue sections ot the malor organs are submitted ln 10% formalin. NAME: DOE, JOHN CASE NO. 2008-0054 5 SPECIMENS FOR TOXICOLOGY: Heart blood and urine. AUTOPSY WITNESS: - Joshua Sawtelle of the Solano County Sheriffs Department, Kari Lee of the ID Division of the Sotanc County Sheriffs Department, Chad Sayre of the Solano County Shertff's Department, David Curt of the Solano County Sheriffs Department, and Glenn Myer of the Solano County District Attorneys Office. Teresa Gulcl, Forensic Assistant. TH(-trac D: 01-14~08 T: 01-16-00 RE-EXAMINATION February 26, 2008 1050 hours The body has been stored in a bio-seat bag to prevent further decomposition. This ls open at this time and the body re~examined. When the bio-seal bag ls opened there is a black plastic body bag with a blue plastic seat which reads 000431 which ls out and ptaced in evidence custody. _When the body bag is opened the upper torso anteriorly has a clear plastic bag which ts removed. The body ts then rotated in such a fashion as to place the body on its stomach. Then a dissection posterlorly ls done from the base of the skult to the sacrum. This includes detaching both scaputas from their insertion on the posterior rib cage. This reveals the two scapulas to be intact and not have any evidence of trauma. Two parasptnous muscles, both in the midline and to the left of the midline, show focat hemorrhages which are photographed These hemorrhages are discreet and are absent from the right side. in the email of the back there ts a very large hernatoma which is approximately to inch ln thickness and has overall dimensions otherwise of approximately 6 3 inches. In the paraspinous muscles on the teft side there is one tong confluent area which measures approximately 7 - 8 inches inch and there are two discreet areas, one more superior measuring approximately 3 - 3 la inches inch and below this an area which measures 1 to 1 Vs inches inch. These again are photographed for documentation purposes. The conclusion ls that these represent ante or perirnortem btunt force trauma due to the discreetness or ofthe lesions. Their asymmetry ls also an argument that they are not postmortem artifacts. Flnaily, the size of the hematoma in the smelt of the back is so large that lt almost certainly occurred white cardiac function was present.