Masters Theses

Date of Award

8-1999

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts

Major

Anthropology

Major Professor

William M. Bass

Committee Members

Steven A. Symes, Walter E. Klippel, Murray K. Marks

Abstract

Worldwide crime statistics indicate that while the firearm is the instrument of choice used in the commission of homicide, bladed weapons run a very close second. This being the case, the analysis of these implements and the cut marks they create in soft and osseous tissues demands the attention of the medico-legal and law enforcement community, particularly forensic pathologists and anthropologists. To this end, the author and several colleagues inflicted stab wounds with three pairs of common serrated-edged kitchen knives of differing blade structures to the thoracic areas of three euthanized domestic pigs (Sus scrofa) and examine the cut marks delivered by these knives to the ribs in order to generate an inventory of traits specific to each type of knife. This inventory consists of a combination of gross morphological and microscopic properties resulting from a three-tiered analysis: a visual examination, a low-power magnification examination, and an examination under scanning electron microscopy. The results indicate that wounds inflicted with the five-inch Farberware knife used can generally be distinguished by a large width between cut walls, little evidence of bone chipping or splintering, some lip formation visible along the cut wound edges, and walls manifesting an uneven, undulating appearance with wide, blocky, V-shaped cut floors; wounds inflicted with the five-inch and eight-inch Ekco "Flint" knives can be characterized by a moderate or marked degree of wound edge separation, some evidence of bone chipping and splintering, some lip formation that may show a cloven appearance, and walls that manifest an uneven, stepped appearance with extremely tapered cut floors; and wounds inflicted with the five-inch and eight-inch Henckels "Eversharp-Pro" knives are differentiated by their moderate degree of wound edge separation, a great deal of bone chipping and splintering, little to no lip formation, and walls that manifest an uneven, clean appearance with but slightly pointed U-shaped cut floors. Additionally, directionality of cutting stroke may be obtained by careful examination of both chipping/splintering and lip formation features. No differences were found between the five-inch and eight-inch knife of each pair. It is noted that the list of characteristic traits generated works best as a suite for each knife, but that wall appearance and floor structure are most distinct for each type.

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