Reconstruction of a complex bullet path in gunshot wound: a multidisciplinary approach

Firearm-related injuries, particularly those involving the cranio-cervical region, pose significant challenges in forensic pathology due to the anatomical complexity and the concentration of vital structures. This case report describes a fatal hunting accident involving a close-range shot with a large-caliber slug bullet, resulting in a high-energy transfer wound with an atypical exit site on the right side of the neck. Autopsy findings, supported by digital imaging, revealed deviation of the projectile's trajectory due to impact with the C6 vertebral body, consistent with bullet destabilization and subsequent overturning. The atypical morphology of the exit wound-initially suggestive of soot deposition or thermal alteration-was reinterpreted as a postmortem dehydration artifact, linked to prolonged refrigeration or freezing in the mortuary. Notably, other wounds covered by clothing did not exhibit similar changes, suggesting a role of postmortem environmental exposure in modifying wound appearance. Reconstruction of the ballistic event required a multidisciplinary approach integrating wound ballistics, rigid body dynamics, postmortem artifact analysis, and garment lesion evaluation. Although limitations in textile analysis precluded definitive conclusions regarding garment damage interpretation, the overall trajectory analysis strongly supported a left-to-right bullet path. This case highlights the critical importance of interdisciplinary collaboration in the forensic reconstruction of complex firearm injuries and underscores the potential for interpretive error when postmortem changes and ballistic deviations are not fully considered. The application of falsifiability criteria further strengthens the proposed reconstruction and excludes alternative hypotheses lacking empirical support.