title: Characterisation of the weapon used in a patricide by SEM/EDS analysis of a microscopic trace from the object.
abstract: This article presents a case of patricide. The murder was characterised by multiple blunt traumas and asphyxia. A mass of contused wounds was localised to the head and neck, and included the complete avulsion of the left eye (by an unknown tool), which was recovered near the cadaver. This case is of interest due to the possibility of identifying microscopic traces of the object that was used for the homicide by examining the skin margins around the ocular injury. The analysis was conducted using scanning electron microscopy combined with energy dispersive X-ray analysis (SEM/EDX). Analysis of the skin margins allowed microscopic inorganic traces to be detected, which were identified as ceramic material. This result focused the attention of the investigation on a small fish-shaped statue that had been previously found by the police when examining the crime scene. The use of SEM/EDX was therefore essential in determining a match between the microscopic traces detected on the perilesional skin and the composition of the statue. This led to the suspicion that the statue was the murder weapon.
authors.affiliation: Sezione di Medicina Legale e delle Assicurazioni, Italy.
authors.forename: Enrico
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Muccino
authors.affiliation: Sezione di Medicina Legale e delle Assicurazioni, Italy.
authors.forename: Giulio Federico
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Giovanetti
authors.affiliation: Sezione di Medicina Legale e delle Assicurazioni, Italy.
authors.forename: Graziano Domenico Luigi
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Crudele
authors.affiliation: Sezione di Medicina Legale e delle Assicurazioni, Italy.
authors.forename: Guendalina
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gentile
authors.affiliation: USS Medicina Legale - Azienda Ospedaliera Papa Giovanni XXIII - Bergamo, Italy.
authors.forename: Matteo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Marchesi
authors.affiliation: Sezione di Medicina Legale e delle Assicurazioni, Italy.
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rancati
authors.affiliation: Sezione di Medicina Legale e delle Assicurazioni, Italy riccardo.zoia@unimi.it.
authors.forename: Riccardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zoja
mesh_terms: D001344:Autopsy; D049429:Forensic Pathology / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D006708:Homicide; D006801:Humans; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D012867:Skin / Q000473:pathology; D013052:Spectrometry, X-Ray Emission; D014949:Wounds, Nonpenetrating
keywords: Forensic pathology; criminalistics