Skeletal Trauma Analysis

Nicholas V. Passalacqua received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Michigan State University, his Master of Science degree from Mercyhurst University, and a Master of Arts and PhD from Michigan State University. Nick works as a deploying anthropologist at the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command - Central Identification Laboratory, actively engaging in the recovery and identification of U.S. servicemembers from past conflicts.Christopher W. Rainwater received his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Florida, his Master of Science degree from Mercyhurst University, and is currently a PhD candidate at New York University.  Chris works as a forensic anthropologist for the Office of Chief Medical Examiner in New York City, actively engaging in anthropological casework in all five boroughs.  He also serves as the Director of Photography for the agency.

• List of contributors vii1 Introduction 1Nicholas V. Passalacqua and Christopher W. Rainwater2 Atypical gunshot and blunt force injuries: wounds along the biomechanical continuum 7Brian F. Spatola3 Over-interpretation of bone injuries and implications for cause and manner of death 27João Pinheiro, Eugénia Cunha, and Steven Symes4 Skeletal injuries in cases of child abuse: two case studies from the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences 42Jason M. Wiersema and Jennifer C. Love5 Blunt force trauma patterns in the human skull and thorax: a case study from northern California 56Eric J. Bartelink6 Patterns of skeletal trauma inflicted during the Spanish Civil War 74Nicholas V. Passalacqua, Ciarán Brewster, Marina Martínez de Pinillos González, and José Miguel Carretero Díaz7 Shot and beaten to death? Suspected projectile and blunt force trauma in a case involving an extended period of post-mortem water immersion 90Hugo F.V. Cardoso, Katerina S. Puentes, and Luís F.N. Coelho8 Man’s best friend: a case study of ballistics trauma and animal scavenging 108Gina Hart9 Skeletal evidence of violent sexual assault in remains with excessive evidence of scavenging 118Hugh E. Berryman and Tiffany B. Saul10 Neurocranial fractures 130Jennifer C. Love11 Blunt force trauma associated with a fall from heights 147MariaTeresa A. Tersigni-Tarrant12 Low-velocity impact trauma: an illustrative selection of cases from the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command – Central Identification Laboratory 156Paul Emanovsky13 Blast trauma 167Angi M. Christensen and Victoria A. Smith14 Case studies in skeletal blast trauma 177Nikki A. Willits, Joseph T. Hefner, and MariaTeresa A. Tersigni-Tarrant15 Burned human remains in a double homicide: a forensic case in Cyprus 189Popi Th. Chrysostomou16 The utility of spatial analysis in the recognition of normal and abnormal patterns in burned human remains 204Christina L. Fojas, Luis L. Cabo, Nicholas V. Passalacqua, Christopher W. Rainwater, Katerina S. Puentes, and Steven A. Symes17 Three modes of dismemberment: disarticulation around the joints, transection of bone via chopping, and transection of bone via sawing 222Christopher W. Rainwater18 Kreischer Mansion homicide 246Lauren Regucci and Bradley Adams19 Postmortem trauma and the “CSI Effect:” is television making smarter criminals? 266Elizabeth A. Murray and Anthony E. DwyerIndex 289