Mutilation of Body after crime

Introduction: Mutilation of the body after death is considered a more heinous crime than the murder itself. After a homicide, dismemberment and mutilation is done to conceal the body or to dispose it away without being noticed. Case explanation: The present case unfolds one such crime where a 70 year old retired army doctor killed his 62 year old wife and mutilated her body into multiple pieces. Autopsy revealed multiple split lacerated wounds on her occipital area, parietal area, temporal area and forehead. Several depressed fractures were found on her skull bone underlying the lacerated wounds. Brief discussion: As the body pieces were recovered after several days of her death, the internal organs were grossly decomposed. The brain matter was missing from the exposed cranial cavity. The cause of death was opined to be due to the head injuries consequent upon some hard blunt force impact. The manner of death appeared homicidal as most of the injuries were on the vertex area. The dismembered ends had some sharp cuts and some irregularities suggesting the use of axe, saw and knife as alleged.