Consumimur igni : the importance of forensic anthropology at the scene of charred bodies

The charring process is often utilized in order to conceal corpses; heat in fact provokes the alteration of shape and size of lesions which are therefore hidden by the superimposition of charring process. Moreover, the investigation of a crime scene is often carried out by unskilled personnel, and aims at recovering the corpse often by rough procedures, with the risk of destroying evidence and losing bone fragment which may help in reconstruction of the cause and manner of death and personal identification. This presentation aims at highlighting the importance of a correct anthropological approach to investigation, recovery and analysis and the rule of a multidisciplinary study of charred human remains, by illustrating four cases. In the first case the investigation of the crime scene by anthropological methods and the use of TC examination helped to reconstruct the cause of death by finding a bullet fragment; a dental prothesis, found during the second reconnaissance of the crime scene allowed to perform a positive identification by odontological methods. In the second case, during a new investigation of crime scene two bullets and several bone fragments were found; the new evidences pointed out more precise data concerning the manner of death and allowed to rule out the hypothesis of a mutilation of body. In the third case, the second investigation of the crime scene allowed to recover bone fragments and verify the position of the body; this helped to deny the body was tied up hands and foot. The following anthropological analysis and CT examination of the cranium showed several gunshot lesions. The four case aims at showing the importance of a precise analysis of charred human remains: although the first investigation was accurate, during the analysis of cranium no sign useful in determination of the cause of death could be drawn; the maceration of the entire body and especially of the neck allowed to verify a gunshot wound at the second cervical vertebra. This presentation has shown the importance of the application of anthropological approach to investigation of the crime scene of charred bodies; moreover, the X-ray examination has proved to be useful, although their accuracy has yet to be completely verified.