Rebecca's Autopsy

[sdcali]

Hey sleuthers,

Here are a couple of interesting reads I found today. The entire site is very informative, but these two pages are especially interesting as it pertains to Rebecca.

The definitions of contusions and abraisions are helpful to in deciphering the AR.


http://www.forensicpathologyonline.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=103&Itemid=120


http://www.forensicpathologyonline.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=50&Itemid=76

 

[sdcali]

While re-reading the AR, there was a Detective Tsuida (I think I spelled it right) that requested to attend Rebecca's autopsy, but didn't. Started me thinking about why he/she made that request but wasn't there. My curiosity if piqued.

 

[deanna82437]

While re-reading the AR, there was a Detective Tsuida (I think I spelled it right) that requested to attend Rebecca's autopsy, but didn't. Started me thinking about why he/she made that request but wasn't there. My curiosity if piqued.

She requested the following:

Warrant #11-164 = Angela Tsuida, SDSO, dated 8/24/2011 for AT&T Wireless phone records

Warrant #11-165 - 8/24/2011 - Angela Tsuida, SDSO Cellco Partnership, dba Verizon Wireless phone records

 

[SunnieRN]

http://www.lodinews.com/news/article_3b31b341-d617-593a-bf62-0d7174048e6d.html

Article on Dr. Lucas.

 

[coastal]

http://www.lodinews.com/news/article_3b31b341-d617-593a-bf62-0d7174048e6d.html

Article on Dr. Lucas.

Thanks, SunnieRN. Some interesting excerpts:

“He could talk about anything,” she said. “He could explain physics to a 7-year-old and they would get it.”

Really?

(Lucas said) "DNA tests don’t take a matter of hours, and we don’t catch the bad guys.”

Clearly.

And finally, some good news:

Lucas could not elaborate on the Zahau case, saying aspects of it are still under investigation.

 

[CalElliot]

While re-reading the AR, there was a Detective Tsuida (I think I spelled it right) that requested to attend Rebecca's autopsy, but didn't. Started me thinking about why he/she made that request but wasn't there. My curiosity if piqued.

More about Tsuida here:

http://www.nctimes.com/news/local/sdcounty/article_59313490-25d8-5828-9578-dc321738ad9d.html

http://www.ramonasentinel.com/2008/11/12/murder-trial-begins/

 

[sdcali]

More about Tsuida here:

http://www.nctimes.com/news/local/sdcounty/article_59313490-25d8-5828-9578-dc321738ad9d.html

http://www.ramonasentinel.com/2008/11/12/murder-trial-begins/

Thanks, Cal. I hope that Detective Tsuida's interest in this case continues. She may sense and believe the same things we do about Rebecca's death.

 

[SunnieRN]

More about Tsuida here:

http://www.nctimes.com/news/local/sdcounty/article_59313490-25d8-5828-9578-dc321738ad9d.html

http://www.ramonasentinel.com/2008/11/12/murder-trial-begins/

Anipped from the NC times article:

Dr. Jonathan Lucas, a forensic pathologist with the San Diego County Medical Examiner's Office, said during an autopsy on the baby, investigators discovered internal wounds both fresh and old.



I am glad Dr. Lucas got this one right!! Poor baby, TWA!!

 

[Yoda]

Anipped from the NC times article:

Dr. Jonathan Lucas, a forensic pathologist with the San Diego County Medical Examiner's Office, said during an autopsy on the baby, investigators discovered internal wounds both fresh and old.



I am glad Dr. Lucas got this one right!! Poor baby, TWA!!

horrible, sick, demented. I noticed it took a year until they finally pressed charges on that thing- I refuse to classify that animal as a man.

 

[cynic]

Here are a few visual aids. I hope to have some more soon.
I think it should be abundantly clear that I am not an artist, LOL, but this should give a reasonable approximation of what is being described in the autopsy report.


:

I didn't quite keep my promise of "soon," but I have more below.

 

[cynic]

(Special thanks to Sorrell Skye for help with this)

 

[cynic]

Note that while the autopsy report speaks of numerous abrasions to the back of RZ, other than one very small abrasion on the back of each arm, there are no injuries to the back of her arms.
How is this possible? If her arms were tied behind her back at the time that numerous abrasions were created on her back, how did the arms escape injury – they would be the first point of contact?
Furthermore, her arms would also have, presumably, shielded her back from some of the injuries, most notably the abrasions near her right armpit and the long abrasions on the right thoracolumbar region of her back.

 

[gypsychild]

Note that while the autopsy reports speaks of numerous abrasions to the back of RZ, other than one very small abrasion on the back of each arm, there are no injuries to the back of her arms.
How is this possible? If her arms were tied behind her back at the time that numerous abrasions were inflicted on her back, how did the arms escape injury – they would be the first point of contact?
Furthermore, her arms would also have, presumably, shielded her back from some of the injuries, most notably the abrasions near her right armpit and the long abrasions on the right thoracolumbar region of her back.

I did not even think of this but an excellent point! Her arms SHOULD have shielded her back partially from the abrasions if they are in fact from hanging by the cactus'. So the back injuries could not be from when she was bound and hanging....

 

[thebes]

Note that while the autopsy report speaks of numerous abrasions to the back of RZ, other than one very small abrasion on the back of each arm, there are no injuries to the back of her arms.
How is this possible? If her arms were tied behind her back at the time that numerous abrasions were created on her back, how did the arms escape injury – they would be the first point of contact?
Furthermore, her arms would also have, presumably, shielded her back from some of the injuries, most notably the abrasions near her right armpit and the long abrasions on the right thoracolumbar region of her back.

This is a brilliant point! I wonder if she didn't get those vertical, parallel abrasions while sitting/struggling in the overturned white wicker chair.

And thank you so much for these pictures - they are very helpful!

 

[defense101]

Amazing Cynic, thanks so much for the visual, it really shows the impossiblity of a straight jump off the balcony hanging and the injuries she sustained. So much work and I appreciate it greatly!

 

[coastal]

Amazing Cynic, thanks so much for the visual, it really shows the impossiblity of a straight jump off the balcony hanging and the injuries she sustained. So much work and I appreciate it greatly!

Me, too.

Thebes, excellent idea, that the abrasions on Rebecca's back may be the result of her struggling, bound, in the wicker chair. I tried to imagine what else could cause such wounds, and all I came up with is contact with a stucco wall, or perhaps concrete. Wicker works better for me, though.

 

[freespeech]

Reviewing Rebecca's AR, and I noticed this (on page 10, under POSTMORTEM CHANGES):

There is also red livor mortis on the upper chest.

https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&...TItOWM1Mi00NGE4LWEyZDgtMjc3OWUxZTYzYmY5&hl=en

Another Theory

Rebecca must have been placed prone for some time after she was murdered in order for blood to settle in her upper chest.

I suspect that they put her in the white wicker chair with her legs taped to chair and then strangled her from behind with a garrote type ligature. While they choked her the chair tipped and fell backwards so they left her dead like that for sometime. That's why she had livor mortis in her back but not in her legs. That would also explain why her legs were in rigor mortis with her knees bent and apart.

Sometime later they decided to hang her to hide the garrote ligature mark. They untapped her legs and tipped the chair on it's side. She spilled out onto the red blanket and they rolled her onto her stomach and hogtied tied her hands and feet together.

She already had lividity in her back but none in her legs. Since the lividity had not fixed it started to move to her upper chest while in the hog tie position. She probably stayed that way for some time while they figured their next move.

They tied the rope to the bed and placed the noose around her neck after placing her fingers on the bed frame, rope, knife, door frame, etc. and threw her over the balcony railing. They probably left her hanging for a short period of time to ensure the the heavier rope ligature obliterated the thinner garrote ligature mark. They then cut her down and staged the yard for Adam's CPR performance. Imoo.

 

[freespeech]

Here are a few visual aids. I hope to have some more soon.
I think it should be abundantly clear that I am not an artist, LOL, but this should give a reasonable approximation of what is being described in the autopsy report.


:

The ligature mark is too low for a hanging. The weight of her body and the long drop of 9 feet and 2 inches would have pulled the rope up and under her chin. The tightly tied blue tee shirt kept the rope from moving up and under her chin. The tee shirt held the rope in place to cover the thinner ligature mark that showed she died from garrote strangulation, IMO.

 

[freespeech]

Me, too.

Thebes, excellent idea, that the abrasions on Rebecca's back may be the result of her struggling, bound, in the wicker chair. I tried to imagine what else could cause such wounds, and all I came up with is contact with a stucco wall, or perhaps concrete. Wicker works better for me, though.

I totally agree with this post. The back abrasions were sustained when she struggled in the chair while they strangled her.

 

[freespeech]

Below is a link to an autopsy report of a woman who was murdered by strangulation but staged afterwards to look like she committed suicide by hanging.

http://www.crimescene.com/suicide/evidence.autopsy.php

There are two ligatures mentioned in the report.

Ligature A, the hanging ligature, was thicker and was under her chin as would be expected from the downward thrust of her body.

Ligature B, the strangulation ligature, was thinner and lower. It encircled her throat and was over the internally damaged and crushed throat structures.