NCJ Number
145542
Journal
Canadian Society of Forensic Science Journal Volume: 26 Issue: 1 Dated: (March 1993) Pages: 37-42
Date Published
1993
Length
6 pages
Annotation
An unusual case of either a homicide, elaborate suicide, or accidental death is presented, which involved the severely decomposed body of a female nurse who had been reported missing for approximately 2 weeks.
Abstract
The body was found in a field beside an abandoned house, lying on the right side in a kneeling position, fully clothed. Her hands and feet were found in a nonrestrictive manner behind her back; a nylon stocking was wrapped several times around her neck. The victim had complained to police for 7 years about threats and assaults from an unidentified assailant; police concluded that these scenarios may have been fabricated. The victim had a history of benzodiazepine use but was not known to use or abuse opiates. The pathological and toxicological results indicated that death was the result of an overdose of both morphine and flurazepam. However, interpreting the postmortem drug results was difficult. The mode of administration of morphine was never reliably determined. After the longest inquest in the history of British Columbia, the jury could not decide whether the death was due to homicide or suicide. Table, footnote, and 11 references