title: [Forensic analysis of 24 dismembered homicide cases in Shanghai].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the characteristics of the dismembered homicide cases in Shanghai and to provide the valuable guidance for forensic pathological practices.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-four cases of dismembered homicides were selected from 2005 to 2012 in Institute of Forensic Science, Shanghai Public Security Bureau. The general information of the victims and suspects, cause of death, criminal motive, postmortem body parts, tools and information of discarding body parts were retrospectively analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among the 24 dismembered homicide cases, victims were female in 16 cases, and suspects were male in 23 cases and were acquaintances in 22 cases. The main causes of death were mechanical asphyxia and traumatic brain injury. Most of the criminal motives were emotional disputes. The number of postmortem body parts was commonly from 20 to 30. The tools were mainly sharp instruments, including kitchen knives used in 20 cases. The postmortem body parts were discarded to different transregional areas, mainly using vehicles.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The dismembered homicide cases in Shanghai show the following characteristics: the number of postmortem body parts is in large quantity; the methods of dismembered corpse are complex and different; the job characteristics of suspects are difficult to determine; the distance from homicide scene is far and the vehicles are commonly used.
authors.affiliation: Shanghai Key Laboratory of Crime Scene Evidence, Institute of Forensic Science, Shanghai Public Security Bureau, Shanghai 200083, China. yanchangge1008@foxmail.com
authors.forename: Yan-Chang
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Ge
authors.forename: Xiang-Tao
authors.initials: XT
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Kai-Jun
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Li-Wei
authors.initials: LW
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Gu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001237:Asphyxia / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D001344:Autopsy; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D002423:Cause of Death; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D019548:Crime Victims / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D057237:Criminals / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D005554:Forensic Medicine; D006708:Homicide / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009042:Motivation; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D017678:Sex Distribution; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D055815:Young Adult