An experimental model of tool mark striations by a serrated blade in human soft tissues.
Tool mark analysis is a method of matching a weapon with the injury it caused. In a homicidal stabbing using a serrated knife, a stab wound that involves a cartilage may leave striations from the serration points on the blade edge. Assessing tissue striations is a means of identifying the weapon as having a serrated blade. This prospective study examines the possibility that similar striations may be produced in human soft tissues. Using tissues taken at the time of hospital-consented autopsies, stab wound tracks were assessed in a variety of human tissues (aorta, skin, liver, kidney, and cardiac and skeletal muscle). Stab wounds were produced postmortem with similar serrated and smooth-edged blades. The walls of the stab wounds were exposed, documented by photography and cast with dental impression material. Striations were identified by naked-eye examination in the skin and aorta. Photodocumentation of fresh tissue was best achieved in the aorta. Striations were not identified in wound tracks produced by the smooth-edged blade. Three blinded forensic pathologists were assessed for their ability to detect striations in photographs of wound tracks and had substantial interobserver agreement (κ = 0.76) identifying striations. This study demonstrates that tool mark striations can be present in some noncartilaginous human tissues.
From the *Department of Pathology, London Health Sciences Centre; †Western University; and ‡School of Dentistry, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, London, Ontario, Canada.
Rebekah
R
Jacques
Stanley
S
Kogon
Michael
M
Shkrum
D001011:Aorta / Q000293:injuries / Q000473:pathology; D003760:Dental Impression Materials; D049429:Forensic Pathology; D006335:Heart Injuries / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D007668:Kidney / Q000293:injuries / Q000473:pathology; D008099:Liver / Q000293:injuries / Q000473:pathology; D008954:Models, Biological; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000293:injuries / Q000473:pathology; D009206:Myocardium / Q000473:pathology; D015588:Observer Variation; D010781:Photography; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012867:Skin / Q000293:injuries / Q000473:pathology; D054041:Weapons; D014951:Wounds, Stab / Q000473:pathology*
D003760:Dental Impression Materials