Drug detection in decomposed cadavers confirms testimonial evidence in a case of serial homicides. (August 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Ottaviano, Valeria; Tavone, Alessandro Mauro; Scipione, Claudia; Potenza, Saverio; Petroni, Giulia; Marella, Gian Luca
• Is Part Of: Forensic science international. Volume 325(2021)
• Publication Date: 2021-08
• Subjects: Propofol -- Morphine -- Diazepam -- Exhumation -- Human remains -- Decomposed cadavers -- GC-MS; Medical jurisprudence -- Periodicals; Chemistry, Forensic -- Periodicals; Forensic Medicine -- Periodicals; Médecine légale -- Périodiques; Chimie légale -- Périodiques; Gerechtelijke geneeskunde; Gerechtelijke chemie; Gerechtelijke psychiatrie; Chemistry, Forensic; Medical jurisprudence; Electronic journals; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 614.1
• DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2021.110893
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0379-0738

Abstract

Highlights: Four people died rapidly after an acute episode that needed EMT intervention. Eyewitnesses stated unrecorded IV injections of a milky solution. PMIs, type of burial and state of preservation were different for all the exhumed. Propofol, diazepam, midazolam and morphine were the molecules to determinate. Results supported the testimony of administration of the alleged drugs. Abstract: Toxicology investigation on human's buried dead bodies is a rare and challenging task in the forensic field. As requested by the Judicial Authority, this work aimed to verify testimonial evidence that emerged during a criminal investigation involving multiple murder cases. The statements indicated an improper medical administration of one or more alleged drugs (propofol, morphine, diazepam, and midazolam) which presumably caused the deaths. Since the supposed crimes took place several years before, the task of the present work was to obtain results to support the charges. The analyses involved 18 biological samples taken from four exhumed bodies, three of which were female and one male, each buried in a different date and mode. Each sample was treated with specific purification and extraction techniques (LLE - SPE) after the addition of the deuterated analogs of the searched analytes (propofol-d17, morphine-d3, diazepam-d5, midazolam-d4) as internal standards. Afterwards, the extracts were subjected to qualitative analysis by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry-Electron Impact (GC/MS - EI), both in full scan and SIM mode. Propofol, morphine, and diazepam were identified in the corpses. It supports testimonials that were administered just before the deaths occurred.