An Autopsy Case of the Decomposed Body with Kronlein's Shot and the Importance of Skull Reconstruction

Abstract

In forensic medicine, firearm-related fatalities are regular. The range and velocity of the bullet, the characteristics of the wounds, and the probability of recovery are vital components of forensic analyses. While examining gunshot wounds to the skull, focus on the critical difference between bullet entry and exit points and the distance between the muzzle and the bullet entrance is vital. Determining bullet injury in cases of extreme decay has been a difficult challenge. The police send a corpse in the later stages of decomposition for re-postmortem examination, with a history of severe blunt force injuries to the head in our case report. Following the reconstruction of the skull, it is determined that some regions are bone deficient. A bullet entry wound is present on the left side's upper border of the defect, formed like an arc (representing the upper 1/3rd of a circle), and a corresponding exit wound was discovered on the right side's lower border of the defect, shaped like an arc (representing the lower 1/3rd of a circle). The bullet passed left to right backward and downward. It is noteworthy that in cases of advanced decomposition, where identifying the characteristics of a bullet wound is nearly impossible, fully skeletonizing the body and reconstructing it will provide critical hints to establishing the cause of death.