Generally, the depth of the wound is not all that important. The blow produces a crushing effect on the human body, resulting in contusions, abrasions, lacerations, fractures, or rupture of vital organs. Brain contusions are especially difficult to analyze. The general rule is that trauma will be most severe on the opposite side of impact. This is because the brain floats around inside the head, but there may be what are called contrecoups where the pathway to brain trauma has to be reconstructed.
Death results rapidly whenever a skull fracture is involved.
Wounds to the body area usually take longer to cause death, sometimes days. Female victims are always checked for whether or not they were virgins via looking at the hymen, if any. Foreign pubic hair, blood stains, and seminal stains are also collected. In cases where the assailant ejaculated, DNA typing is done to help identify who deposited the sperm. Cherry-red lividity is usually a sign of carbon monoxide poisoning, for example.