Biochemical reconstruction of three cases of death--results of international cooperation.

Biochemical serotonin and histamine determinations were applied to the reconstruction of three suspected homicide cases. To distinguish between ante-mortem and post-mortem wounds and to time the ante-mortem injuries the concentrations of free histamine and serotonin in the wound samples and in the control samples from neighbouring intact skin were examined. The results of these biochemical determinations allowed a reconstruction of the events and one of the three cases was shown to be suicide instead of homicide. The methods can be used at least during the first 4--5 days after death and sometimes even longer. This allows for international cooperation when investigating and reconstructing complicated cases of death.