Page 43 - CFDI Guide

Certified Forensic Death Investigator (CFDI) Program
Dean A. Beers, CLI, CCDI, CFDI-Expert and Karen S. Beers, BSW, CCDI, CFDI-SME
Associates in Forensic Investigations, LLC
Criminal Defense Investigation Training Council (CDITC) Accredited

The internal examination is what is often thought of when ‘autopsy’ is mentioned. This surgical procedure

includes the in-situ examination of the organs, removal of them with weights, and complete
external/internal examination of the organs. This examination also includes the assessment of bullet

trajectory, wound tracts, ligature markings, etc. One area of specific forensic pathologist training is wound
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(all injuries and trauma) examination. At the conclusion of the autopsy the functions of the forensic
pathologist and death investigator temporarily separate into two different tasks. The coroner / medical
examiner death investigator will submit his report, detailing the findings of his scene investigation,

evidence review, and medical records review. The forensic pathologist will review the coroner / medical

examiner death investigator’s report and case file to finalize his autopsy report and certify the Cause and
Manner of Death.

The autopsy findings will have a Cause of Death, which will include any factors directly contributing to or

causing the death (i.e. blunt force trauma or a cardiac event); and Manner of Death, which include Natural,
Accident, Suicide, Homicide and Undetermined. The Mechanism of Death, or consequence of the

instrument or action causing death, such as exsanguination, is often overlooked. This notation may include
consequences of stab wounds, gunshot wounds, ligature strangulation, drug overdose, etc. The autopsy

may determine the Mechanism of Death, such as exsanguination as a result of a fan blade separating from
the shaft and impaling the decedent. The investigation and autopsy reveals this death was an accident –

but it does not specifically address the incident and related underlying causation – the blade and shaft
separation. The common purpose of the autopsy, to the investigator, is the autopsy may support the pre-

autopsy investigation and medical records, or possibly make a determination that seems unrelated to the
event. An example of this is a motor vehicle collision caused by the driver having a sudden cardiac event

which caused death before the accident. This is a Natural death which caused the accident. Often we see
deaths caused by blunt force injuries as a result of the accident, which is ruled an ‘Accident’.

V. AUTOPSY FINDINGS, SCENE AND CIRCUMSTANCES

Being reminded that most deaths are not autopsied – in part because most deaths are natural – it is also
important to consider that many deaths that should be autopsied are not. At the conclusion of the CFDIs

inquiry, their investigative findings – whether in the absence of an autopsy report or not – must include an
analysis of the evidentiary findings, including the autopsy, with the scene and circumstances of death.

7 National Association of Medical Examiners (The NAME)
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