Finding of a skeleton in the Altaussee Lake--a forensic odyssey

Divers found several human bones in a lake in central Austria. As signs of blunt force trauma to the skull were detectable and one of the possible perpetrators still was alive, exact medico-legal examination was necessary. Age of the person and time since death were estimated. The residues of possible brain tissue underwent histological examination. Two of the three missing persons could be excluded, one of them using mitochondrial DNA analysis. Any pending legal proceedings could be avoided as a result of our examinations.