Post by Hope on Apr 8, 2022 16:15:54 GMT
Excellent research by Cam!
I wish Dr. Rooney’s description of Dana’s lividity had been more detailed. In trying to understand this key sentence, "Lividity is marked anteriorly and it no longer blanches and mild non blanching lividity is present posteriorly," here is my research and conclusions.
Lividity usually begins 30 minutes to 4 hours after death and is most pronounced 12 hours after death. Blanching, or a whitish discoloration that results when pressure is applied to the skin, can occur up to 8–12 hours after death. After this time period, however, the blood becomes fixed (or non-blanchable). www.osmosis.org/answers/lividity
Anterior (or ventral) describes the front or direction toward the front of the body. The toes are anterior to the foot. Posterior (or dorsal) describes the back or direction toward the back of the body.
I interpret Dr. Rooney’s assessment as, at the time of autopsy, Dana’s body showed non-blanchable (occurs after 12 hours) lividity on the anterior (front) of his body and mild non blanching (occurs between 8-12 hours) lividity to the posterior (back) of his body.
If either pattern of lividity had only been present along specific areas, Dr. Rooney probably would have noted that, which leads me to believe lividity was evenly dispersed across the front and back of the body showing different blanching.
Further reading reveals that it is not uncommon to find posterior (to the back) lividity and anterior (to the front) lividity at autopsy when the body had been found in a face down position after death. The posterior (to the back) lividity develops during the time the body is stored on its back during transport and awaiting autopsy.
www.sciencedirect.com/topics/medicine-and-dentistry/livor-mortis
We know from PCSO reports that:
1. 12 Apr 1981, approx. 8:00 a.m. – bodies found by Sheila Sharp
2. 12 Apr 1981, approx. 8:15 a.m. – PCSO officers begin arriving at crime scene
3. 12 Apr 1981, approx. 9:30 a.m. – Deputy Forcino is informed of triple homicide while at Antelope Lake and told to report to scene (approx. 1 hour drive); at scene he is briefed, observes scene; returns to PCSO to retrieve camera and investigation kit (11 min drive); returns to scene to assist in photographing the scene
4. 12 Apr 1981 – bodies bagged and removed from cabin, driven to Anderson’s Mortuary in Quincy (11 min drive)
5. Bodies transported to Sacramento for autopsy (approx. 2 hours, 45 min drive)
6. 13 Apr 1981, 9:50 a.m. – Dr. Rooney performs Dana autopsy
So, considering the length of time that passed from when Dana's body was moved from Keddie to the autopsy table in Sac, the posterior lividity could have resulted then.
Perhaps Dana’s lividity has been misinterpreted due to Stoy's report from 1983 (titled, “List of items noticed on review of case file 1983”) that states (misspellings as they appear in document), “Lividity on legs of Wingate indicates he was in a semi or upright position at time of death. Buttox is free of lividity as if it was in contact with hard surface (i.e. chair). Very little lividity on chest and stomach. Not consistant with position body found in – face down on floor. Also tape & wire not secured around Dana’s hands and feet as it was on the other two victims.”
Dana was found lying fairly flat on the floor, the left side of his face resting on the corner of the couch cushion (also on the floor). The amount of blood saturation on the couch cushion, carpet, Dana’s hair and possibly his shirt shows indicates he bled out. Remember, when death occurs the heart stops. By the broken tape ligature around his hands, he broke free at some point. He had no defensive injuries. The loose binding of electric cord around his lower legs to Johnny's lower legs would not have restrained either if alive.
This is a work in progress as I look for reports to pin down times of death, removal of bodies to Quincy, transportation of bodies from Quincy to Sacramento.
I wish Dr. Rooney’s description of Dana’s lividity had been more detailed. In trying to understand this key sentence, "Lividity is marked anteriorly and it no longer blanches and mild non blanching lividity is present posteriorly," here is my research and conclusions.
Lividity usually begins 30 minutes to 4 hours after death and is most pronounced 12 hours after death. Blanching, or a whitish discoloration that results when pressure is applied to the skin, can occur up to 8–12 hours after death. After this time period, however, the blood becomes fixed (or non-blanchable). www.osmosis.org/answers/lividity
Anterior (or ventral) describes the front or direction toward the front of the body. The toes are anterior to the foot. Posterior (or dorsal) describes the back or direction toward the back of the body.
I interpret Dr. Rooney’s assessment as, at the time of autopsy, Dana’s body showed non-blanchable (occurs after 12 hours) lividity on the anterior (front) of his body and mild non blanching (occurs between 8-12 hours) lividity to the posterior (back) of his body.
If either pattern of lividity had only been present along specific areas, Dr. Rooney probably would have noted that, which leads me to believe lividity was evenly dispersed across the front and back of the body showing different blanching.
Further reading reveals that it is not uncommon to find posterior (to the back) lividity and anterior (to the front) lividity at autopsy when the body had been found in a face down position after death. The posterior (to the back) lividity develops during the time the body is stored on its back during transport and awaiting autopsy.
www.sciencedirect.com/topics/medicine-and-dentistry/livor-mortis
We know from PCSO reports that:
1. 12 Apr 1981, approx. 8:00 a.m. – bodies found by Sheila Sharp
2. 12 Apr 1981, approx. 8:15 a.m. – PCSO officers begin arriving at crime scene
3. 12 Apr 1981, approx. 9:30 a.m. – Deputy Forcino is informed of triple homicide while at Antelope Lake and told to report to scene (approx. 1 hour drive); at scene he is briefed, observes scene; returns to PCSO to retrieve camera and investigation kit (11 min drive); returns to scene to assist in photographing the scene
4. 12 Apr 1981 – bodies bagged and removed from cabin, driven to Anderson’s Mortuary in Quincy (11 min drive)
5. Bodies transported to Sacramento for autopsy (approx. 2 hours, 45 min drive)
6. 13 Apr 1981, 9:50 a.m. – Dr. Rooney performs Dana autopsy
So, considering the length of time that passed from when Dana's body was moved from Keddie to the autopsy table in Sac, the posterior lividity could have resulted then.
Perhaps Dana’s lividity has been misinterpreted due to Stoy's report from 1983 (titled, “List of items noticed on review of case file 1983”) that states (misspellings as they appear in document), “Lividity on legs of Wingate indicates he was in a semi or upright position at time of death. Buttox is free of lividity as if it was in contact with hard surface (i.e. chair). Very little lividity on chest and stomach. Not consistant with position body found in – face down on floor. Also tape & wire not secured around Dana’s hands and feet as it was on the other two victims.”
Dana was found lying fairly flat on the floor, the left side of his face resting on the corner of the couch cushion (also on the floor). The amount of blood saturation on the couch cushion, carpet, Dana’s hair and possibly his shirt shows indicates he bled out. Remember, when death occurs the heart stops. By the broken tape ligature around his hands, he broke free at some point. He had no defensive injuries. The loose binding of electric cord around his lower legs to Johnny's lower legs would not have restrained either if alive.