Opinion ID: 2266034
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The discovery and identification of the victim's body

Text: The body was discovered on a hot day, June 12, 1989, by a young woman who was walking down a dirt road near the home of her grandparents. She smelled an odor, investigated and saw a badly decomposed body clad in a jacket, jeans and sneakers. She rushed back home and her family contacted the police. Deputy Coroner Matthew Olley pronounced the body dead and the body was transported to the morgue pending the autopsy by Dr. Isidore Mihalakis, a forensic pathologist. Dr. Mihalakis opined that the cause of death was homicide. He observed holes in the victim's jacket that continued through the sweater underneath, which were consistent with between seven and ten knife stab wounds in the back and chest area. He concluded the wounds would have impacted the vital organs; however, since the body was essentially skeletonized at the time of the viewing, he could examine no organs because they had disappeared either from insect or decomposition activity. Dr. Mihalakis also turned over scalp hair samples to the police for analysis. Dr. Mihalakis further confirmed the approximate date of death through the use of an entomological expert, Dr. K.C. Kim, whose specialty is the classification and identification of insects and parasites of humans and animals. Dr. Mihalakis collected samples of the various insects present on and within the corpse for analysis and Dr. Kim examined the insects. Dr. Kim testified that the presence and relative maturity of insects allowed him to estimate the approximate time of death. He testified that different decomposition stages attract different types of insects. He also explained that ambient air temperature and physical site (open field, shaded locale or aquatic area) also affect the rate of maturity of insects. In determining the approximate decomposition period, Dr. Kim utilized a climate report from the national weather service, description of the autopsy and description of the scene where the corpse was discovered. When Dr. Kim testified, he identified samples of the insects found on the victim. He was also shown autopsy photographs depicting a mass of insects on the body and in the body bag. Dr. Kim concluded that accounting for the average mean temperature during the time the corpse had been missing, the maturity of the various insects present and the stages of decomposition at which certain insects would be present, the body had been decaying nineteen days to twenty-five days. The corpse was identified as Lori Auker through dental records. Lori had been missing since May 24, 1989, and was last seen wearing clothing like that found on the corpse. Nineteen days had elapsed from the date of her disappearance until the discovery of her body on June 12, 1989.