Forensic Science International
Volume 158, Issue 2 , Pages 87-93, 10 May 2006

Criminal burning

Institut Universitaire de Médecine légale de Lyon, Université Claude-Bernard Lyon 1, 12 Avenue Rockefeller, 69008 Lyon, France

Received 25 August 2004; accepted 15 April 2005. published online 27 June 2005.

Abstract 

We report a study of 40 burnt bodies on which an autopsy was carried out at the Institut de Médecine Légale in Lyon (28 men/12 women, average age=41 years, minimum age=3 years, maximum age=86 years). Criminal deaths (31%) represented the second cause of death after accidents (52%), and before suicide (16%). Criminal burning seemed mainly to be means of covering up homicide, whereas criminal immolation was rarer. The particular characteristics of each of these situations have been highlighted (tying or poisoning in criminal immolation). We deemed it essential to make X-rays, to look for injuries due to trauma and to carry out systematic toxicological analyses in a victim of burning.

Keywords: Burning, Homicide, Characteristics

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PII: S0379-0738(05)00289-6

doi:10.1016/j.forsciint.2005.04.040

Forensic Science International
Volume 158, Issue 2 , Pages 87-93, 10 May 2006

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