Pereira Ana Julia, Breglia Gustavo A, Uzal Marcelo H
Centro de Investigaciones en Toxicología Ambiental y Agrobiotecnología del Comahue, CITAAC (CONICET, UNCo), Neuquén, Argentina.
Facultad de Medicina, Cátedra de Medicina Legal, Universidad Nacional del Comahue, Cipolletti, Río Negro, Argentina.
Forensic Sci Med Pathol. 2025 Mar;21(1):358-365. doi: 10.1007/s12024-024-00889-2. Epub 2024 Sep 4.
Forensic entomology plays a crucial role in death investigations, particularly in estimating the postmortem interval (PMI). This study presents a forensic entomology case involving a corpse found in a buried utility vehicle. The victim was in an advanced state of decomposition, with autopsy findings revealing gunshot wounds. Cadaveric fauna was collected at the scene and during the autopsy. The analysis revealed a diverse insect community, with predominance of Compsomyiops fulvicrura and Piophila casei. The time of development of species like Dermestes maculatus and Necrobia rufipes was used to estimate the minimum PMI. The presence and low abundance of Calliphora vicina, a species preferring lower temperatures, shed light on the seasonal conditions at the time of death and suggested possible body concealment shortly after death. This research is the first to report insects as evidence in a corpse found in a buried vehicle and contributes to the body of knowledge in forensic entomology. The study also suggests that the use of entomological evidence can provide additional information about the season in which the body was concealed, making it a valuable tool in death investigation and crime scene reconstruction. Finally, it emphasizes the need for proper sampling, expert identification, and close collaboration between forensic entomologists and pathologists.
法医昆虫学在死亡调查中起着至关重要的作用，尤其是在估计死后间隔时间（PMI）方面。本研究展示了一个法医昆虫学案例，涉及一辆掩埋在地下的多功能车中发现的一具尸体。受害者处于高度腐烂状态，尸检结果显示有枪伤。在现场和尸检过程中收集了尸体上的动物群落。分析发现了一个多样化的昆虫群落，其中以黄腹厕蝇和酪蝇为主。利用黄斑皮蠹和赤足郭公虫等物种的发育时间来估计最短PMI。嗜尸性丽蝇这种偏好较低温度的物种的存在及低丰度，揭示了死亡时的季节条件，并表明死亡后不久尸体可能被隐藏起来。本研究首次报道了在掩埋车辆中发现的尸体上昆虫作为证据的情况，并为法医昆虫学的知识体系做出了贡献。该研究还表明，利用昆虫学证据可以提供有关尸体被隐藏季节的额外信息，使其成为死亡调查和犯罪现场重建中的一个有价值的工具。最后，它强调了进行适当采样、专家鉴定以及法医昆虫学家与病理学家密切合作的必要性。
