Postmortem Burns to Conceal Homicidal Deaths: an Eight-Year Study

Burned corpses are of medicolegal importance as circumstances may suggest means that are used for committing or concealing homicidal death or death occurring due to accidental causes. Postmortem burns, which may include homicidal burns (torch murder) or burns used to conceal the crime, are committed with the motive of identity destruction, transposing the cause and manner of death and destruction of evidence. The present study aimed to analyse the cases of postmortem burns in the context of the cause of death, manner of death and circumstances pertaining to death. This is a retrospective study performed in the Government Medical College δ Hospital, Aurangabad (MH), India, between 1 January 2009 - 31 December 2016. Cases involving burn injuries were examined in detail by autopsy reports, toxicological analyses, crime scene investigation and police records submitted at the Institute's office. A careful examination of vitality signs of burns, soot deposition in the lower respiratory tract and the presence of other fatal injuries was performed for each case. Cases exposed to fire before death were all excluded. Similarly, bodies being charred to such an extent to prevent distinguishing the vitality of burns were also excluded. Postmortem burns were recorded in 13 cases (0.46%) of deceased bodies to cover homicides. Females were reported to be more commonly involved and more in a household environment. Head injury was the most common cause of death, followed by death due to asphyxia due to any means. The findings of the present study reinforce the fact that burning cannot always effectively destroy the evidence, hindering the perpetrator from covering up the crime. Apart from the evidence at autopsy, a transdisciplinary approach must be initiated with detailed crime scene investigation, toxicology, ascertaining the cause of death with analyses of fatal injuries and contributory data for identification of the deceased.