# Posts - Herman The Shocker

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# Herman The Shocker

Unfiltered view of reality

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## Posts

- [Man driving a Chevrolet Corvette decapitated](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/man-driving-a-chevrolet-corvette-decapitated/) - US – 28 July 2005. A Westchester County man died Thursday afternoon in a crash on Route 287. Joseph Gianelli, 58 of Irvington, N.Y., was pronounced dead at the scene after his Chevrolet Corvette struck the rear of a tractor-trailer at about 1 p.m., near milepost 65, state police said. The truck, operated by Clouis
- [The Shocker no.39 is out](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/the-shocker-no-39-is-out/) - The Shocker Magazine brings you unfiltered views of reality and educational content from the world of crime, accidents, and forensics. Each magazine has about 50 pages of content and new exclusive content not posted on the website from the vault of the Shocker and only in a digital download format. Your support helps to cover the
- [Massive destruction of head and brain evisceration](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/massive-destruction-of-head-and-brain-evisceration/) - Self-inflicted gunshot wound with massive destruction of head and brain evisceration resulting from barrel of rifle in mouth at time of discharge as victim sat at computer. Forensically, a self-inflicted intraoral gunshot wound with massive cranial destruction shows clear suicidal indicators. The muzzle placed inside the mouth produces extreme pressure and gas expansion, leading to
- [Natural death in the setting of autoerotic practice](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/natural-death-in-the-setting-of-autoerotic-practice/) - Australia. This case demonstrates the death of a 69-year-old male which has occurred in the setting of a complex autoerotic environment, not as a result of asphyxiation, but rather as a result of natural causes which is likely to have been brought about by repeated similar activity. Police were called to the deceased’s address by
- [Body found in the Northern Adriatic Sea](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/body-found-in-the-northern-adriatic-sea/) - This individual was found in the Northern Adriatic Sea, near Italy. No further info. Many times it is difficult to determine the sex of bodies that have been immersed in water. A body in water generally decomposes more slowly due to the colder temperatures as well as the lack of oxygen. Bodies removed from water
- [Nitrous oxide autoerotic death](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/nitrous-oxide-autoerotic-death/) - Huntington Beach, California. The victim was a white male, 37 years of age, living alone in a large apartment complex. The body had begun to decompose and was bloated with skin slippage and swollen genitalia. The officer noted that the victim was wearing a pilot-type oxygen mask, which was attached to his mouth and nose.
- [Man committed suicide by gunshot to the forehead](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/man-committed-suicide-by-gunshot-to-the-forehead/) - Germany. This 70-year-old man committed suicide by gunshot to the forehead. He was found kneeling by his bathtub, the blood from the entrance wound poured into the tub, in the tub was a bucket with some amount of blood. The weapon used was a 7.62 mm caliber pistol. There was a bullet contact entrance wound
- [The Shocker no.38 is out](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/the-shocker-no-38-is-out-2/) - The Shocker Magazine brings you unfiltered views of reality and educational content from the world of crime, accidents, and forensics. Each magazine has about 50 pages of content and new exclusive content not posted on the website from the vault of the Shocker and only in a digital download format. Your support helps to cover the
- [Accidental head explosion from self-made fireworks](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/accidental-head-explosion-from-self-made-fireworks/) - Germany – On New Year’s Eve, a 33-year old hobby pyrotechnician sustained a lethal craniofacial trauma secondary to a salute fireworks blast. According to bystanders, he was examining a misfire of a self-constructed salute gun, when it suddenly detonated, causing an explosive rupture of his forehead, which led to his immediate death. The pressure effect
- [Extreme cranial destruction in a suicide by a buckshot loaded into a bangstick](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/extreme-cranial-destruction-in-a-suicide-by-a-buckshot-loaded-into-a-bangstick/) - Head injuries from shotguns and high-powered rifles are typically quite devastating, often with extensive soft tissue destruction, skull fractures, and pulpifaction of the brain. Occasionally, the brain is largely expelled from the cranial vault and may be found near the body. This young man committed suicide by inflicting a contact shotgun-type injury with a round
- [The Vampire of Sacramento](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/the-vampire-of-sacramento/) - Sacramento, California, USA. On December 29, 1977. A 51-year-old man, who had exited his house to retrieve groceries from his car in the driveway, was shot once in the chest with a .22 caliber automatic. The man’s wife, who was about to follow him out the door, heard two shots. Neighbors also reported hearing shots,
- [Intraoral suicide with a shotgun](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/intraoral-suicide-with-a-shotgun/) - This individual committed intraoral suicide with a shotgun. The shotgun wound resulted in extreme facial splitting from the discharge of the 12-gauge shotgun. Reconstruction by reapproximating was performed by sewing together the originally gaping lacerations. No further info about this case. Fig.1 Intraoral shotgun wound with extreme facial splitting (suicidal discharge of a 12-gauge shotgun).
- [Worker falls into a sewage plant digester tank](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/worker-falls-into-a-sewage-plant-digester-tank/) - March 18, 2003 – Bonn, Germany. A lethal occupational accident occurred at the Bonn Salierweg sewage treatment plant when a technician fell into an overflow sewer and was immediately pulled into a 30 cm (11.8″) diameter drain. Rescue efforts were initiated immediately, but had to be terminated due to gas warning. However, when rescue teams
- [Slashed neck from a broken bottle](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/slashed-neck-from-a-broken-bottle/) - This individual died after getting attacked with a broken bottle that slashed his neck, no more info. A particular form of slashed wound arises from ‘glassing’, that is, the use of a broken drinking glass or bottle as a weapon. Where, more commonly, a glass or bottle is used as a blunt instrument, it may
- [The Shocker no.38 is out](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/the-shocker-no-38-is-out/) - The Shocker Magazine brings you unfiltered views of reality and educational content from the world of crime, accidents, and forensics. Each magazine has about 50 pages of content and new exclusive content not posted on the website from the vault of the Shocker and only in a digital download format. Your support helps to cover the
- [Gunshot wound on the hard palate](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/gunshot-wound-on-the-hard-palate/) - This individual died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound in the hard palate inside the mouth. Self-inflicted gunshot wounds to the palate result in complex bony and soft tissue trauma to the mid and upper face. Fig.1 Gunshot wound on the hard palate. Suicide prevention If you are experiencing a suicidal or mental health crisis or
- [25-year-old Montana man dies in house fire](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/25-year-old-montana-man-dies-in-house-fire/) - 2010 – Montana, US. This 25-year-old man apparently was known to have been drinking into the early morning hours of Friday. He was dropped off at his parent’s home at about 0200, with the last known contact being by phone at about 0400. At 0608, the fire department was notified of a fire in the
- [This individual died of natural causes while in a warm tub](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/this-individual-died-of-natural-causes-while-in-a-warm-tub/) - This decomposing individual died of natural causes while sitting in a warm tub. Note the bloating from putrefactive gases causing the body to float near the surface. People who drown in bathtubs are incapacitated by disease, injury, or intoxication. Sometimes homicide victims are placed in bathtubs to wash evidence off the body. Bodies found in
- [An accidental decapitation resulting from head protruding out of bus](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/an-accidental-decapitation-resulting-from-head-protruding-out-of-bus/) - India. A 24-year-old woman was traveling in a bus with her child and husband, she was seated on the right side in the last row beside a window. It was a non-air-conditioned 2×2 bus having a front door on the left side and window panes of sliding fiber glass without any grille. Around 4.00 a.m.,
- [Autoerotic death inside a plastic bag with boxing gloves](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/autoerotic-death-inside-a-plastic-bag-with-boxing-gloves/) - Canada. A 34-year-old was found dead in his secured apartment. The body, clad only in underwear, was completely enclosed from head to toe within a large plastic pocket. The plastic pocket had been made using a large plastic sheet folded in two and sealed on the remaining sides by duct tape, two from the outside
- [The Shocker no.37 is out](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/the-shocker-no-37-is-out-2/) - The Shocker Magazine brings you unfiltered views of reality and educational content from the world of crime, accidents, and forensics. Each magazine has about 50 pages of content and new exclusive content not posted on the website from the vault of the Shocker and only in a digital download format. Your support helps to cover the
- [Abrasions from belt holes](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/abrasions-from-belt-holes/) - Holes in the belt result in abrasions from the fabric around the hole in a case of suicide. The outline of the holes may be further accentuated by blood becoming trapped in pressurized skin. Suicide by ligature strangulation using a belt involves specific physical evidence and behavioral elements. Investigators typically look for ligature marks on
- [Shotgun wound through the neck](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/shotgun-wound-through-the-neck/) - Contact-range discharge to the left side of the neck (12 G shotgun, homicide). (left image) Exit site on the right lateral neck. (right image) Entrance wound with longitudinal splitting laceration toward the angle of jaw and soot staining in the depth. Fig.1 Smooth-bore firearms or shotguns have a completely different profile of injuries as compared
- [Homicidal stab wounds inflicted with kitchen utensils](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/homicidal-stab-wounds-inflicted-with-kitchen-utensils/) - This individual was murdered and stabbed with various kitchen utensils, no further info about this case. The general features of injuries from knives apply equally to other sharp objects that cause incised and stab wounds. Razors and broken glass have extremely sharp edges so that, when applied tangentially or at a small angle to the
- [Self-inflicted gunshot wound to the forehead with a shotgun](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/self-inflicted-gunshot-wound-to-the-forehead-with-a-shotgun/) - Germany. Self-inflicted gunshot to the forehead with a shotgun. The scalp is torn open in several long stretches; the actual bullet defect cannot be identified. The bony skull is largely dismantled, and large parts of the brain are no longer inside the skull. There are short, separate skin tears on both sides of the nose.
- [Pilot and passenger died when their aircraft dived straight into the ground](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/pilot-and-passenger-died-when-their-aircraft-dived-straight-into-the-ground/) - An elderly male pilot was flying a microlight aircraft with one middle-aged male passenger in the rear of the aircraft. When preparing to land, one wing dipped and the aircraft dived straight into the ground. The pilot was ejected and was located lying 2 m (6.5 ft) from the aircraft. The passenger was located in
- [Autoerotic Death at the Weight Bench](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/autoerotic-death-at-the-weight-bench/) - Hobbs, New Mexico, USA. This was the view that the arriving police officers had when they responded to a location to check on the welfare of a 36-year-old white male. When the officers arrived at the scene, they observed what appeared to be a female figure with blond hair hanging from a weight bench by
- [The Shocker no.37 is out](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/the-shocker-no-37-is-out/) - The Shocker Magazine brings you unfiltered views of reality and educational content from the world of crime, accidents, and forensics. Each magazine has about 50 pages of content and new exclusive content not posted on the website from the vault of the Shocker and only in a digital download format. Your support helps to cover the
- [Fatal Crocodile Attack](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/fatal-crocodile-attack-colorized/) - Australia. The remains of an adult male found in a river after a crocodile attack. The head had been decapitated through the lower neck and showed severe compound and comminuted fracturing of the skull and facial skeleton with loss of the brain. The arms had been amputated through the shoulder joints. The skin of the
- [Dead soldier after battle with guerillas](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/dead-soldier-after-battle-with-guerillas/) - El Salvador, 1984. Dead soldier after battle with guerillas. The Salvadoran Civil War was a twelve-year civil war in El Salvador that was fought between the government of El Salvador and the Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front (FMLN), a coalition of left-wing guerilla groups backed by the Cuban regime of Fidel Castro as well as the Soviet Union. A coup on 15 October 1979 supported by the US followed by government killings
- [Massive head trauma from self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/massive-head-trauma-from-self-inflicted-gunshot-wound-to-the-head/) - Wausau, Wisconsin, USA. This individual shot himself in the head with an upward trajectory. The man was determined to shoot himself in the head with a rifle after an argument with his girlfriend, who was at the scene when the shooting occurred. Gunshot injuries of the head may produce significant impact spatter. Fig.1 View of
- [Suicide by Bomb, with Decapitation](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/suicide-by-bomb-with-decapitation/) - Mishawaka, Indiana, US. In the fall of 2011, the badly injured body of a 65-year-old male was found on its back in the backyard of his home (Figs.1-3). A suicide note was found in the home, which indicated that the decedent wanted to “take the quick way out” of life, saying that he was depressed
- [Man crushed by concrete culvert](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/man-crushed-by-concrete-culvert/) - This 55 year old male was fatally crushed by a concrete culvert. He suffered from compound skull fractures, brain lacerations, and C1- C2 fracture separation severing spinal cord. Severe rib fractures with flail chest and heart/aorta lacerations. Torn pericardial sac, hemopericardium, bilateral hemothoraces and torn diaphragm. Fig.1 Man crushed by concrete culvert. A concrete culvert
- [Male individual located at home in an advanced state of decomposition](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/male-individual-located-at-home-in-an-advanced-state-of-decomposition/) - Australia. This middle aged male individual was located at home in an advanced state of decomposition. Postmortem CT showed that the individual had numerous surgical repairs in the form of metal plates and screws on the left frontal-zygomatic suture, left inferior orbit, left maxilla, left mandibular body, mid- and right mandibular symphysis and on the
- [Autoerotic death self-induced fatal air embolism](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/autoerotic-death-self-induced-fatal-air-embolism/) - Brazil. A 38-year-old man was found dead in his house, already in a state of decomposition, with no signs of violence. The body was naked, with the exception of slippers. The individual was found lying on a sheet of plywood in a semi-sitting position, leaning back on a mattress supported against the wall. His head
- [The Shocker no.36 is out](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/the-shocker-no-36-is-out-2/) - The Shocker Magazine brings you unfiltered views of reality and educational content from the world of crime, accidents, and forensics. Each magazine has about 50 pages of content and new exclusive content not posted on the website from the vault of the Shocker and only in a digital download format. Your support helps to cover the
- [Scene of autoerotic asphyxia](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/scene-of-autoerotic-asphyxia/) - This naked man was partially suspended by a dog collar around his neck. In the foreground is the wig that was placed on the head of a female mannequin, which probably contributed to his sexual fantasy. The victim’s genitals were tied with an insulated wire to aid penile erection. The dog collar was attached to
- [Suicidal ligature strangulation utilizing cable ties](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/suicidal-ligature-strangulation-utilizing-cable-ties/) - This individual committed suicide by fastening cable ties around his neck, leading to suffocation. Each cable tie was assembled from two cable ties to make a longer one that could go around the neck. The thyroid cartilage was fractured and the tip of the tongue had bite marks on it. Strangulation is a type of
- [High-energy, blunt-force trauma in a motor vehicle incident](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/high-energy-blunt-force-trauma-in-a-motor-vehicle-incident/) - A middle-aged male was driving a semi-tractor with an attached trailer in heavy fog. On approaching a sharp left bend in a 60 km/h (37 mph) zone, the trailer tipped and the truck flipped onto its right side. It appeared the vehicle entered the bend at approximately 100 km/h (62 mph). The individual was not
- [Vehicle-Assisted Decapitation](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/vehicle-assisted-decapitation/) - Czech Republic. The body of a 40-year-old man was found in a crashed passenger car. Upon closer inspection of the vehicle, the police patrol found a male decapitated body; the head was lying on the back seat to the right of the body. The entire interior of the car was stained with blood. After opening
- [Woman dies from hand grenade injuries after a marital quarrel](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/woman-dies-from-hand-grenade-injuries-after-a-marital-quarrel/) - 1994 – Rheine, Germany. A Chinese hand grenade type 86 P (weight approx. 290 g, approx. 1600 steel spheres 2.5–3.0 mm in diameter) wrapped in a red blanket was detonated in the course of a marital quarrel in the bedroom. At the time of detonation, the wife was lying on the bed in a prone
- [An unusual case of sudden death associated with masturbation](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/an-unusual-case-of-sudden-death-associated-with-masturbation-colorized/) - The United Kingdom, ~1980s. The deceased was an unmarried 32-year-old computer programmer. He was found dead in his bed one morning, having been absent from work the previous day. The bearded man was wearing tinted glasses lying in bed and with a masturbatory device strapped to him. Next to him was a portable cassette player
- [The Shocker no.36 is out](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/the-shocker-no-36-is-out/) - The Shocker Magazine brings you unfiltered views of reality and educational content from the world of crime, accidents, and forensics. Each magazine has about 50 pages of content and new exclusive content not posted on the website from the vault of the Shocker and only in a digital download format. Your support helps to cover the
- [Woman found decomposing after suicide](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/woman-found-decomposing-after-suicide/) - This individual was found decomposed after a suicidal hanging. Suicidal hanging is a method of self-harm involving suspension by the neck to obstruct blood flow and oxygen to the brain, leading to unconsciousness and death. It is a frequent method due to its perceived accessibility and lethality. Decomposition is the natural breakdown of a body
- [Suicide by decapitation using a tape saw](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/suicide-by-decapitation-using-a-tape-saw/) - Spain. The body of a 22-year-old man was found inside a metal workshop lying on the bench of an electric tape saw used for cutting metals. A suicide note was found at the scene. The man had no confirmed psychiatric history, although he was dealing with some personal problems. The head was nearly completely decapitated,
- [Postmortem animal interference on a female corpse](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/postmortem-animal-interference-on-a-female-corpse/) - Postmortem animal depredation is a substantial part of the taphonomic processes a body undergoes after death and is a well-known phenomenon to forensic death investigators, the morphological appearance of these injuries can be misinterpreted by police officers investigating the suspected crime scene or by the consulted medical practitioner. Fig.1 A broad range of carnivores can
- [Christmas is cancelled - Autoerotic death](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/christmas-is-cancelled-autoerotic-death/) - A 52-year-old man was found dead, already putrefied, in his apartment. He wore women’s underwear with a female wig and a Santa Claus hat. The body was in a kneeling position, hanging by two knotted stockings fixed to a pipe just above him. The stockings were tied to a metal chain wrapping the body from
- [Massive head destruction from an under the chin shotgun suicide](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/massive-head-destruction-from-an-under-the-chin-shotgun-suicide/) - This victim shot himself under the chin with a shotgun creating this classic massive tissue destruction. No further info. Head injuries from shotguns and high-powered rifles are typically quite devastating, often with extensive soft tissue destruction, skull fractures, and pulpifaction of the brain. Occasionally, the brain is largely expelled from the cranial vault and may
- [Slashing lacerations on the face](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/slashing-lacerations-on-the-face/) - Slashing lacerations on the face in a fatal attack often indicate a sharp-force injury caused by a bladed weapon, such as a knife or machete. These wounds are typically deep, with irregular edges if force is excessive, and may involve underlying structures like muscles, nerves, or bone. Hesitation wounds are rare in homicidal cases. The
- [Raccoon eyes on a suicide victim](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/raccoon-eyes-on-a-suicide-victim/) - This woman committed suicide with a gun under the chin, her finger was on the trigger when found, note the raccoon eyes. No further info. Fig.1 This woman committed suicide, note the raccoon eyes. Raccoon eyes also known as bruising around the eyes or periorbital hematoma or periorbital bruising (ecchymosis) with tarsal plate sparing, is
- [Maggots on a body](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/maggots-on-a-body-2/) - Maggots are the larval form of flies. Flies lay their eggs in small and sometimes large bulky clusters on accessible unsubmerged areas, crevices, and cavities of the body, preferring moist areas such as the eyes, nostrils, scalp, lips, ear canals, and open wounds. Individually, these are tiny, round to ovoid, tan-white structures that resemble seeds
- [The Shocker no.35 is out](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/the-shocker-no-35-is-out-2/) - The Shocker Magazine brings you unfiltered views of reality and educational content from the world of crime, accidents, and forensics. Each magazine has about 50 pages of content and new exclusive content not posted on the website from the vault of the Shocker and only in a digital download format. Your support helps to cover the
- [Victim of a small aircraft crash](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/victim-of-a-small-aircraft-crash/) - Ventral total body view. Note the destruction of all four extremities in contrast to the seemingly intact pelvic region. Typical telescopic shortening of the legs. In a fatal plane crash, the impact forces can be extreme, often exceeding the body’s tolerance. At high speeds, deceleration forces can cause severe trauma, including dismemberment, fractures, and internal
- [The murder of Aundria Crawford by Rex Krebs](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/the-murder-of-aundria-crawford-by-rex-krebs/) - On March 13, 1999, in San Luis Obispo, California, Aundria Crawford was reported missing by her mother. Aundria’s mother usually spoke with her daughter every day. She hadn’t heard from her since March 11. Aundria was a 20-year-old student from Fresno, California, who was attending Cuesta Community College in San Luis Obispo, California. Investigators, who
- [Scene of accidental ligature strangulation](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/scene-of-accidental-ligature-strangulation/) - This woman collapsed on the bathroom floor while under the influence of extremely large amounts of amitriptyline. Her necklace caught on the open cabinet door. The victims’ chain caught on the cabinet door. Note the protuberant tongue, often seen in hanging fatalities. Accidental ligature strangulations occur when an individual unintentionally becomes trapped by a ligature,
- [Man jumped from the 28th floor of an apartment block](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/man-jumped-from-the-28th-floor-of-an-apartment-block/) - This male individual jumped from the 28th floor of an apartment block and fell approximately 84 m (275 ft). During the fall he struck a lower level balcony, and this resulted in hindquarter amputation before he landed on the road. There was extensive flattening over the right posterior side of the head. This was associated
- [Grazing shotgun wound](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/grazing-shotgun-wound/) - The massive defect to this victim’s face was caused by a .12-gauge rifled slug fired through the rear window of an automobile. Approximating the wound margins more closely delineates the skin tags, which point toward the muzzle of the gun, thereby confirming the direction of fire. Approximating gunshot wound margins involves realigning the edges of
- [Man suffering from PTSD from the Iraq war wraps his head in plastic wrap](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/man-suffering-from-ptsd-from-the-iraq-war-wraps-his-head-in-plastic-wrap/) - City of Lacey, Washington, USA. Police were called to a hotel after employees discovered a deceased man locked in his hotel room. The victim’s legs and arms had been bound four-point on the bed with clothesline rope. The man’s head was completely wrapped with plastic and an empty plastic wrap box was lying on the
- [The Shocker no.35 is out](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/the-shocker-no-35-is-out/) - The Shocker Magazine brings you unfiltered views of reality and educational content from the world of crime, accidents, and forensics. Each magazine has about 50 pages of content and new exclusive content not posted on the website from the vault of the Shocker and only in a digital download format. Your support helps to cover the
- [Reconstruction of crushing head injuries](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/reconstruction-of-crushing-head-injuries/) - This 33-year-old man was riding his bicycle on the interstate highway when he was struck by a tractor-trailer. Hi head was run over by one of the wheels of the truck or trailer. Impact of a pedestrian or bicyclist by a large vehicle often produces extensive comminuted fractures of the head, as in this instance.
- [Bloodstain investigation in suspicious death of a woman](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/bloodstain-investigation-in-suspicious-death-of-a-woman/) - Police responded to a single-family residence. Upon arrival, they were met at the front door by the victim’s husband, who indicated that his wife had shot herself. Blood was observed on the husband’s clothing. The victim was located lying on the bed in the master bedroom. She was clad in pajamas and was partially covered
- [Devastating rifle wound to the head](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/devastating-rifle-wound-to-the-head/) - This 52-year-old man sustained an intermediate range rifle wound to the left side of his head from a .243 Winchester rifle. As this weapon has a very high muzzle velocity (~3000 feet per second), it is often used to hunt deer. In fig.2, note the stippling and seared skin around the entrance wound, in addition
- [Suicide with a knife](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/suicide-with-a-knife-2/) - Russia. This individual committed suicide by cutting his neck with a knife, no further info. Cut throat injuries can be either suicidal or homicidal. These are well recognized methods of homicide and are less commonly used in suicides and are very rarely accidental. Suicide is one of the leading causes of death in the world.
- [Decomposing woman in a bathtub](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/decomposing-woman-in-a-bathtub/) - Woman’s body lying face down in a bathtub in an advanced state of decomposition and with no apparent signs of violence. No further info. Decomposition, or putrefaction, is a combination of two processes: autolysis and bacterial action. Autolysis is the breakdown of cells and organs through an aseptic chemical process caused by intracellular enzymes. Because
- [Parachute Death in Southern Arizona](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/parachute-death-in-southern-arizona/) - There was no further info with the images except that this happened in Southern Arizona. From a study of parachute deaths that occurred in Southern Arizona over a 16-year period. Parachuting is an activity in which a participant jumps from a plane or from height and consists of a period of freefall followed by the
- [The Shocker no.34 is out](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/the-shocker-no-34-is-out-2/) - The Shocker Magazine brings you unfiltered views of reality and educational content from the world of crime, accidents, and forensics. Each magazine has about 50 pages of content and new exclusive content not posted on the website from the vault of the Shocker and only in a digital download format. Your support helps to cover the
- [Fatal injuries from a hand grenade](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/fatal-injuries-from-a-hand-grenade/) - Fatal injuries from a hand grenade. A grenade is an explosive weapon typically thrown by hand (also called hand grenade), but can also refer to a shell (explosive projectile) shot from the muzzle of a rifle (as a rifle grenade) or a grenade launcher. A modern hand grenade generally consists of an explosive charge (“filler”),
- [On Halloween Night, 1979, the Toolbox Killers Abducted Their Final Victim](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/on-halloween-night-1979-the-toolbox-killers-abducted-their-final-victim/) - On Halloween night, 1979, at approximately 10:30 p.m. Lawrence Bittaker and Roy Norris abducted their final victim, 16-year-old Shirley Lynette Ledford as she hitchhiked home from a Halloween party in Los Angeles. Upon accepting the offer of a lift home and entering the van, Ledford was offered marijuana by Norris, which she refused. Bittaker drove
- [Man killed while relaxing in a hammock](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/man-killed-while-relaxing-in-a-hammock/) - Brazil. A man was shot multiple times in the head while relaxing in a hammock. Brazil has one of the highest homicide rates in the world, though it’s declined in recent years. Killings are often linked to organized crime, drug trafficking, and conflicts between rival gangs, especially in urban areas like Rio de Janeiro, São
- [Fatal accident in a screw conveyor](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/fatal-accident-in-a-screw-conveyor/) - Germany. A 57-year-old man was cleaning the silo of a wood chip heater when he was caught in the screw conveyor, the man sustained fatal injuries. According to his wife, he left the house at 8:30 a.m. to clean the silo . In this silo, logs would be pulled towards the center into a shredding
- [Man was shot by police officers after a robbery](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/man-was-shot-by-police-officers-after-a-robbery/) - Allegations of brutality at the hands of police are not infrequent in today’s litigious society. This young man was shot by police officers after a robbery led to a street-side gun battle. After viewing medical examiner identification photographs, family members expressed concern that this individual had not only been shot but beaten as well. Photographic
- [The Shocker no.34 is out](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/the-shocker-no-34-is-out/) - The Shocker Magazine brings you unfiltered views of reality and educational content from the world of crime, accidents, and forensics. Each magazine has about 50 pages of content and new exclusive content not posted on the website from the vault of the Shocker and only in a digital download format. Your support helps to cover the
- [The Shocker no.33 is out](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/the-shocker-no-33-is-out/) - The Shocker Magazine brings you unfiltered views of reality and educational content from the world of crime, accidents, and forensics. Each magazine has about 50 pages of content and new exclusive content not posted on the website from the vault of the Shocker and only in a digital download format. Your support helps to cover the
- [Man who skidded with his motorcycle](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/man-who-skidded-with-his-motorcycle/) - The body of a 21-year-old man who was witnessed to skid with his motorcycle and roll into a ditch. Notice the large confluent areas of abrasion commonly referred to as road rash. The patchy, nearly full-thickness abrasions across his torso, right shoulder and back, and face are consistent with the historical circumstances of rolling against
- [Suicide by medication and placing plastic bag](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/suicide-by-medication-and-placing-plastic-bag/) - This individual committed suicide by ingesting excess prescription medication and placing a loosely fixed plastic bag over the head. the moisture collecting at the face covered by plastic during breathing helped to create an environment where mold and mildew could form at the chin and face. This method involves taking lethal medication and placing a
- [A woman was found dead in her bed](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/a-woman-was-found-dead-in-her-bed/) - A 58-year-old woman was found dead in her bed with blood emanating from her mouth. The blood was found to arise from a previously undiagnosed squamous cell carcinoma of the lung that had invaded a pulmonary artery branch and an adjacent bronchus, thus forming a broncho-arterial fistula with rapid exsanguination. A broncho-arterial fistula is an
- [Helicopter pilot dies in a crash](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/helicopter-pilot-dies-in-a-crash/) - This helicopter pilot died after his helicopter crashed. He sustained open traumatic brain injury and closed chest and abdominal trauma. According to statistic reports released by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Safety Team, your chances of dying in a helicopter accident are remarkably low, as there is less
- [Complete cranial disruption](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/complete-cranial-disruption/) - Suicidal gunshot wound to the head. No further info. In the head, neck, and limbs, shotgun exit wounds can be ragged and very large, with extensive tissue damage. In a suicide where the gun has been placed in the mouth, there will be significant disruption of the head, and brain may be expelled, the so-called
- [Raccoon eyes](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/raccoon-eyes/) - Raccoon eye or periorbital ecchymosis is caused by blood tracking into periorbital tissues (the area around the eye), which is frequently observed after head trauma but is also observed in systemic diseases, such as amyloidosis, neuroblastoma, and surgical interventions. Fig.1 Raccoon eyes. Latest posts Man driving a Chevrolet Corvette decapitated Herman the Shocker | Accident
- [The Shocker no.33 is out](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/the-shocker-no-33-is-out-2/) - The Shocker Magazine brings you unfiltered views of reality and educational content from the world of crime, accidents, and forensics. Each magazine has about 50 pages of content and new exclusive content not posted on the website from the vault of the Shocker and only in a digital download format. Your support helps to cover the
- [Suicidal strangulation with a zip tie](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/suicidal-strangulation-with-a-zip-tie/) - Russia. This individual committed suicide by strangulation with a zip tie, a self-locking cable tie. Strangulation is a type of mechanical asphyxia produced by constriction of the neck using ligature material, without suspending the body. Suicidal strangulation with a zip tie is a rare but possible method of self-harm leading to death. A zip tie,
- [Postmortem animal scavenging by rodents](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/postmortem-animal-scavenging-by-rodents/) - The phenomenon of postmortem animal interference with human bodies or their remains is a substantial part of the taphonomic processes a body undergoes after death and animal depredation occurring after death is routinely encountered in forensic pathology. Postmortem injuries can be inflicted by all kinds of animals, irrespective of their size or environmental origin, whether
- [Adipocere formation on face](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/adipocere-formation-on-face/) - Adipocere is caused by fat saponification, which is associated with yellow-white discoloration. The face demonstrates distortion of features, sloughing of the epidermis, and hardening of the subcutaneous adipose tissue associated with yellow-white discoloration. Fat saponification is the postmortem chemical conversion of body fat into a waxy, soap-like substance. It occurs when triglycerides in fatty tissues
- [Man dies from autoerotic activity](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/man-dies-from-autoerotic-activity/) - The deceased man had electrical marks on his fingers and lips, which were stained green from metallization from the brass fittings of the table lamp. In addition, he had a metal comb resting over a large electric burn on his abdomen, also wired up to the lamp socket. No circumstantial evidence of suicidal intent could
- [Man dies from home made explosive](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/man-dies-from-home-made-explosive/) - Anterior aspect of a man who had constructed an explosive device using dynamite. The device probably detonated prematurely, the blast disrupting the head and abdominal region. Accidental explosions of homemade explosives can be highly fatal due to the uncontrolled release of energy, creating intense pressure waves, heat, and shrapnel. The risk depends on the type
- [Suicidal twelve-bore shotgun wound](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/suicidal-twelve-bore-shotgun-wound-2/) - Suicidal twelve-bore shotgun wound. Not all such wounds are circular – this one has torn a large defect in the chest wall because of its tangential orientation. The smoke smudging is extensive, having overshot and been deflected from the wound interior. The precordium is another common site for suicidal shooting. Fig.1 Suicidal twelve-bore shotgun wound.
- [Chopping wounds of the head from an axe](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/chopping-wounds-of-the-head-from-an-axe/) - Note the incised-like nature of wounds with cutting of underlying bone. A chop wound is caused by a heavy weapon or instrument with at least one sharp cutting edge—e.g., axe, machete, panga; often the wound has abraded margins—which may be scraped off—and may be thus confused with a laceration; chop wounds over bone may have
- [A man was nearly decapitated in a fatal car crash](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/a-man-was-nearly-decapitated-in-a-fatal-car-crash/) - Russia. A man was nearly decapitated in a fatal car crash when he lost control of his car. A thin flap of skin holds the head in place. The man was intoxicated. In car crashes, near or complete decapitation usually results from extreme blunt-force trauma or sharp laceration. High-speed impacts can cause “atlanto-occipital dislocation,” where
- [Autoerotic death](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/autoerotic-death_/) - This victim was inhaling an unknown chemical substance while practicing autoerotic activities. Autoerotic death refers to the accidental death of individuals of either sex due to failure of devices, or unexpected effects of materials, that were being used to enhance the sexual experience. Although asphyxia from hanging has been described most frequently, a wide variety
- [Two men killed when a military-type explosion device detonated](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/two-men-killed-when-a-military-type-explosion-device-detonated/) - Two young men were killed in a residence when a military-type explosion device detonated. The extent of the explosive nature of the event is evident by buckling and partial separation of the walls of the residence from the roof. Fig.1 Note the extensive injury of the side of the torso with partial evisceration. At autopsy,
- [Young woman decapitated in bed](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/young-woman-decapitated-in-bed/) - Germany. A 22-year-old woman was found dead in her flat, lying fully dressed in her bed. Her arms and legs were tied up crosswise behind her back. The head was completely cut off, lying next to the body on the pillow. The bedding was blood-soaked. Next to the body, a long kitchen knife was found.
- [The Shocker Magazine is back](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/the-shocker-magazine-is-back/) - The Shocker Magazine is back for purchase. Magazines are no longer sold by subscription due to payment gateway limits, each issue is available individually. Current issues cost $10, while issues older than 2 years are are $5. Your support keeps the site running and helps me source fresh material. The next issue drops October 1.
- [Gunshot wound stippling](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/gunshot-wound-stippling/) - This individual has stippling around the gunshot entrance wounds of the face, no further info. Stippling (or powder tattooing) is red to orange or brownish punctate abrasions surrounding the entrance wounds as a result of pieces of gunpowder expelled from the barrel and striking the skin. Soot deposition is due to the carbon produced by
- [Suicidal throat cut with broken glass](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/suicidal-throat-cut-with-broken-glass/) - Spain. This individual cut his throat with a broken glass in a suicide attempt, the individual was suffering from a mental illness. Self-inflicted incised injuries from broken glass commonly present with multiple superficial, parallel hesitation cuts and a few deep, fatal transverse or oblique wounds to the anterior neck with transection of vessels or airway
- [Suicidal smothering](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/suicidal-smothering-2/) - Smothering and suffocation are often used interchangeably, but the term “smothering” is best used for that form of asphyxia in which the nose and mouth are obstructed e.g. by a hand/ paper, clothes, pillow, plastic bag etc. Gagging people to keep them quiet may lead to smothering. Signs of asphyxia are commonly absent or are
- [Head crushing injury](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/head-crushing-injury/) - This individual died after falling from a height. Severe disruption of the usual facial architecture can be observed. A fatal fall from height refers to an incident where an individual sustains injuries, often leading to death, as a result of falling from an elevated position. Falls from heights can occur in various settings, such as
- [Blunt force trauma in a motorcycle accident](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/blunt-force-trauma-in-a-motorcycle-accident/) - Blunt impact injuries result from direct contact of a blunt object with a body. A contusion results from the blunt impact of significant force to rupture capillaries underneath the skin surface while leaving the skin surface intact, while an abrasion results from scraping off of the superficial epidermis. When you are in a motorcycle accident,
- [Pump-action shotgun suicide](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/pump-action-shotgun-suicide/) - USA. A 36-year-old white man committed suicide after carrying out an attack that left 1 coworker dead and 6 others injured. The man shot himself 4 times with a 12-gauge, pump-action shotgun loaded with cartridges containing birdshot and cartridges containing Federal brand, Premium no. 00 copper-plated buckshot, producing wounds to the head, chin, neck, and
- [Suicidal twelve-bore shotgun wound](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/suicidal-twelve-bore-shotgun-wound/) - Suicidal twelve-bore shotgun wound. The entrance is one of the ‘sites of election’, in the neck. One barrel of a double-barrelled shotgun was used, the unfired barrel causing a muzzle mark. Sites of election are the temple, the neck, the mouth and the chest. Suicides rarely shoot themselves in the eye or abdomen. Fig.1 Suicidal
- [Decapitated man](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/decapitated-man/) - This man has been decapitated, no further info. Decapitation is the total separation of the head from the body. Such an injury is inevitably fatal to humans and most other animals, since it deprives the brain of oxygenated blood, while all other organs are deprived of the involuntary functions that are needed for the body
- [Gunshot wound on the forehead](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/gunshot-wound-on-the-forehead/) - Gunshot wound with stellate blow back lacerations. In contact gunshot wounds with bony tissue underlying the injury, the injuries are typically called a stellate wound, where the gases exit the barrel before the projectile. As a result, the gas collides with the bone tissue, resulting in the reflection of the gases. This gas causes the
- [Homicidal throat cut](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/homicidal-throat-cut-2/) - Spain. The throat of this individual was cut in a homicide. A homicidal throat cut is usually forceful, deep, and directed across the front or side of the neck, often severing major vessels like the carotid arteries and jugular veins. Unlike suicidal cuts, which are typically hesitant, multiple, and angled, homicidal cuts show decisive, uninterrupted
- [Injuries from boat propellers](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/injuries-from-boat-propellers/) - A man was operating a jet ski when he was fatally struck by a boat. His shirt has the characteristic repetitive sharp force injuries of a propeller. The man’s back reveals the same characteristic repetitive sharp force injuries of a propeller. Boat propellers striking a person in the water create a series of linear and
- [Lacerations inflicted by a claw hammer](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/lacerations-inflicted-by-a-claw-hammer-2/) - Lacerations inflicted by a claw hammer. Multiple lacerations with split and abraded margins are typical for bludgeoning but are otherwise nonspecific. Claw hammers have the specific characteristic of having two distinct ends: one a flat head of variable form, the other bifurcated. So the use of this tool as a blunt instrument will cause varying
- [Man stabs friend and keeps body parts in jars](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/man-stabs-friend-and-keeps-body-parts-in-jars/) - Russia. A man murdered his friend with multiple stab wounds, and then cut off pieces of the body and kept them in various jars. Forensically, stab wounds are deep, narrow injuries caused by pointed objects, often knives. These wounds reveal details about the weapon and attack, as characteristics like depth, shape, and angle help identify
- [Crushed head from a train](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/crushed-head-from-a-train/) - The head of this individual was crushed when he was hit by a train. Trespassing along railroad rights-of-way is the leading cause of rail-related deaths. Fig.1 Crushed head from a train. Latest posts Man driving a Chevrolet Corvette decapitated Herman the Shocker | Accident | No Comments US - 28 July 2005. A Westchester County
- [Woman was attacked by a Bull Terrier](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/woman-was-attacked-by-a-bull-terrier/) - Russia. This woman was attacked by a Bull Terrier and suffered fatal bites to her face and neck. Dogs attack people mainly due to fear, pain, or poor socialization. When threatened or startled, a dog’s instinct is often fight or flight—if escape isn’t possible, they bite. Lack of training or abuse can make dogs mistrustful
- [Traffic accident or dumping?](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/traffic-accident-or-dumping/) - A driver of a bonnet-front Skoda Octavia was driving at night on a German motorway. He suddenly recognized something big on the roadside and immediately braked. In this moment there was a collision with ‘‘something”. The driver presumed it was an animal. He left his car to have a look, walked a short way back,
- [Exhumation after 9 months](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/exhumation-after-9-months/) - Exhumation after 9 months due to suspicion of death due to iatrogenic causes. Exhumation is the retrieval of a previously buried body for post-mortem examination. This is usually followed by a first autopsy or a re-autopsy following new information. The term ‘exhumation’ is usually applied to the removal of a body buried in a legitimate
- [Decomposition may disguise real pellet or bullet holes](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/decomposition-may-disguise-real-pellet-or-bullet-holes/) - Particular caution is advisable when dealing with heavily decomposed bodies. In this head of a young man infested with insect larvae, which may disguise real pellet or bullet holes or create an illusion of them. An entrance wound from a 6.35 cal. pistol detected in the forehead of a decomposed body after the scalp tissues
- [Postmortem animal activity](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/postmortem-animal-activity-3/) - The phenomenon of postmortem animal interference with human bodies or their remains is a substantial part of the taphonomic processes a body undergoes after death and animal depredation occurring after death is routinely encountered in forensic pathology. Postmortem injuries can be inflicted by all kinds of animals, irrespective of their size or environmental origin, whether
- [A masturbating man gets beheaded and then eaten by a cannibal butcher](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/a-masturbating-man-gets-beheaded-and-then-eaten-by-a-cannibal-butcher/) - Videos began circulating on social media recently showing a young man masturbating in a bathroom before being brutally decapitated by another man with a large meat cleaver, carrying out the decapitation in just a few seconds. The victim is heard saying “I’m cumming” immediately before his beheading. In another video, the two men can be
- [Gunshot in the mouth at point blank range](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/gunshot-in-the-mouth-at-point-blank-range/) - This individual has a gunshot in the mouth from a point blank range. Radial ruptures of the wound edges. There are no additional shooting factors around the wound. A gunshot to the mouth at point-blank range produces extensive internal and external trauma. The muzzle blast introduces hot gases and soot deep into tissues, often causing
- [Fatal explosive-induced injury](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/fatal-explosive-induced-injury/) - Explosive-induced trauma of the jaw and mouth, with gaping lacerations and tears. Deaths involving explosives may occur intentionally, as in cases of homicides, in terrorist attacks, and wars, and also, in rarer cases, in suicide attempts or even consummated suicides, though the use of explosives in suicides is not common, and there are few cases
- [Decapitated head found in a hotel toilet bowl](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/decapitated-head-found-in-a-hotel-toilet-bowl/) - Germany. During fire-fighting operations in a hotel apartment, the firemen found the decapitated body of a 40-year-old apartment occupant lying on the floor in a supine position. The deceased’s severed head was found in the toilet bowl, with blunt force injuries visible in the facial region. At the death scene, a handsaw and a hammer
- [Suicide with a gun](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/suicide-with-a-gun/) - This man committed suicide in his storage room with a gun, no further info. People use guns for suicide because they are fast, lethal, and require little planning, reducing the chance of survival or rescue. Psychologically, individuals in acute crisis often seek a method that guarantees death and minimizes suffering. Forensically, gun suicides show characteristic
- [Woman stabbed to death and dismembered](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/woman-stabbed-to-death-and-dismembered/) - The victim was stabbed to death and dismembered thereafter by the perpetrator. No further info. Stab wounds and penetrating injuries are of major importance in forensic pathology, as they are extremely common in homicide. In Britain, stabbing with a knife is easily the most frequent mode of murder and manslaughter, primarily in domestic disputes and
- [Facial injuries caused by kicking and stamping](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/facial-injuries-caused-by-kicking-and-stamping/) - Facial injuries caused by kicking and stamping. Death was caused by multiple fractures of the facial bones and by blockage of the air passages by blood. No further info. Kicking of the face is regrettably common and again the prominences suffer most. Bruising, laceration and fractures may result from kicking under the side of the
- [Man killed when hit by a car](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/man-killed-when-hit-by-a-car/) - This individual was hit by a car and slid on the road surface that lead to injuries to the head and limbs. In this case, abrasions and bruised wounds are formed on the protruding parts of the face and head, as well as slip marks – extensive precipitation, against which deeper parallel scratches are visible.
- [An elderly woman was found dead](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/an-elderly-woman-was-found-dead/) - An elderly woman was found dead in October 2002 in her third floor apartment in urban Cologne, Germany. The apartment was very clean except of the bath room in which a bath tub had been filled with water and clothing. The minimum interval of around 3 weeks would have been a misconduct of the paid
- [Self-stabbing of the throat in an elderly woman](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/self-stabbing-of-the-throat-in-an-elderly-woman/) - Whether the death is accidental, suicidal, or homicidal is one of the main questions asked of the forensic physician at the death scene. Some criteria may help to distinguish between these three types of death. Suicidal stabbings are often observed in people who pull aside the clothing first, a feature which is evidence of the
- [Postmortem predation by mice](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/postmortem-predation-by-mice/) - Postmortem animal interference of human corpses or remains is a well known phenomenon to forensic death investigators, the morphological appearance of these injuries can be misinterpreted by police officers investigating the suspected crime scene or by the consulted medical practitioner. Determination of rodent species from the morphological appearance of damage to soft tissue and bones
- [Fatal injuries after falling on an escalator](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/fatal-injuries-after-falling-on-an-escalator/) - This woman has fatal injuries after falling on an escalator. Linear lacerations and abrasions are clearly consistent with a fall on an escalator. Falling on an escalator can cause serious injuries, including bruises, fractures, head trauma, and lacerations. Common causes include loss of balance, distractions, improper footwear, and mechanical malfunctions. Elderly individuals, children, and those
- [Woman beheaded in train suicide](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/woman-beheaded-in-train-suicide/) - A 22-year-old woman in Russia committed suicide by lying on the tracks in front of an oncoming train. Suicide by placing the neck on train tracks typically results in instant death due to decapitation or severe cervical trauma. Forensic investigations focus on injury patterns, the presence of personal belongings, and scene evidence like CCTV or
- [Stippling around an intermediate-range gunshot wound](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/stippling-around-an-intermediate-range-gunshot-wound/) - The stippling around an intermediate-range gunshot wound will vary with the firearm and ammunition used. This is an exceptionally prominent pattern of confluent punctate abrasions from a .44-caliber Magnum revolver. Fig.1 Stippling around an intermediate-range gunshot wound. Latest posts Man driving a Chevrolet Corvette decapitated Herman the Shocker | Accident | No Comments US -
- [A man’s body was found floating in the ocean](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/a-mans-body-was-found-floating-in-the-ocean/) - A man’s body was found floating in the ocean approximately one-half mile offshore. A gaping head wound was interpreted initially by police investigators to be propeller injuries sustained after the victim drowned. Attempted reconstruction of the scalp disclosed multiple curvilinear lacerations on the left side and back of the head. Examination of the underlying remaining
- [Gunshot victim still retaining a loose hold of the weapon](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/gunshot-victim-still-retaining-a-loose-hold-of-the-weapon/) - Many well documented reviews of gunshot suicides show that the weapon is found to be still in the grasp of the victim. This was defined in Garavaglia’s series of 498 deaths as having a finger on the trigger or loosely gripping the barrel or grip of the gun. Given this scientific background of the not
- [Decomposing individual](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/decomposing-individual-2/) - Decomposition, or putrefaction, is a combination of two processes: autolysis and bacterial action. Autolysis is the breakdown of cells and organs through an aseptic chemical process caused by intracellular enzymes. Because it is a chemical process, it is accelerated by heat, slowed by cold, and stopped by freezing. Bacterial action results in the conversion of
- [Suicide through the mouth with a rifle](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/suicide-through-the-mouth-with-a-rifle/) - This man committed suicide through the mouth with a rifle, in the photo we see the exit wound on the back of his head and part of his brain and skull is absent. In the case of a high-powered firearm, the amount of gas generated by the blast is so large that a shot fired
- [Passenger propelled forward during a front-end collision](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/passenger-propelled-forward-during-a-front-end-collision/) - An unrestrained right rear seat passenger was propelled forward during a front-end collision. She landed in the right front passenger seat with her face impacting the front windshield. Her chin is resting on the dashboard and her face is just inside the shattered windshield. Multiple abrasions and superficial lacerations from the broken glass of the
- [Contact entry gunshot wound](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/contact-entry-gunshot-wound/) - Contact entry gunshot wound from a .22-caliber magnum. A magnum load, because it has more gunpowder in the cartridge, releases more gas and kinetic energy and therefore creates more damage than a standard load. Fig.1 Contact entry gunshot wound. Latest posts Man driving a Chevrolet Corvette decapitated Herman the Shocker | Accident | No Comments
- [Head obliterated in a shotgun suicide](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/head-obliterated-in-a-shotgun-suicide/) - A man was found dressed in a formal suit, having taken his own life with a self-inflicted shotgun wound to the head. The force of the close-range blast resulted in catastrophic destruction, effectively obliterating the cranial vault and leaving little recognizable facial structure. Shotgun suicides to the head often cause extensive tissue loss, brain evisceration,
- [The war in Ukraine](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/the-war-in-ukraine/) - ! Child death warning ! The Russia-Ukraine war, now entering its fourth year as of April 2025, has evolved into a protracted and devastating conflict with significant human, economic, and geopolitical consequences. The conflict’s roots trace back to 2014 when Russia annexed Crimea following Ukraine’s Revolution of Dignity. This move was widely condemned by the
- [Dismembered torso](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/dismembered-torso/) - Dismembered torso in a homicide case. The severed neck of a dismembered torso must be inspected carefully for trace evidence and tool marks. The areas should also be preserved indefinitely to compare with other body parts that may subsequently be discovered, perhaps in other jurisdictions. Fig.1 Dismembered torso. Latest posts Man driving a Chevrolet Corvette
- [Bullet graze wound](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/bullet-graze-wound/) - This photo shows the effect of a bullet that has grazed the scalp. A bullet graze wound occurs when a bullet skims or glances off the skin, creating a superficial injury rather than penetrating deeply. These wounds are typically linear or elongated, often appearing as scratches or shallow cuts, and may cause minor bleeding, bruising,
- [Postmortem animal interference](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/postmortem-animal-interference/) - This individual died and his body was scavenged by a cat, no further info. The phenomenon of postmortem animal interference with human bodies or their remains is a substantial part of the taphonomic processes a body undergoes after death and animal depredation occurring after death is routinely encountered in forensic pathology. Postmortem injuries can be
- [Bloating and decompositional blisters](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/bloating-and-decompositional-blisters/) - Note the bloating and decompositional blisters as well as the greenish discoloration around the area of the abdomen. This is a classic example of autolysis, the breakdown of cells and organs from the aseptic chemical process caused by intracellular enzymes. Fig.1 Bloating and decompositional blisters. Latest posts Man driving a Chevrolet Corvette decapitated Herman the
- [Strangulation with a rope and cut neck](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/strangulation-with-a-rope-and-cut-neck/) - This individual was strangulated with a rope and then the assailant cut the neck. In a homicide where the victim is first strangled and then has their throat cut, forensic analysis provides critical insight into the sequence and nature of events. Strangulation typically presents with petechial hemorrhages in the eyes and facial skin, bruising around
- [Intraoral 12-gauge shotgun wound to the head](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/intraoral-12-gauge-shotgun-wound-to-the-head/) - Shotgun wounds impart a large amount of energy to the tissues, particularly if fired at contact or close range. In this intraoral 12-gauge shotgun wound, note the blowout and overall destruction of the top of the head. Contact range shotgun wounds of the head often produce devastating injuries with extensive tissue disruption. In these situations,
- [A hard contact entrance gunshot wound](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/a-hard-contact-entrance-gunshot-wound/) - A hard contact entrance gunshot wound is present on the forehead of a young homicide victim. This type of wound occurs when the muzzle of the firearm is pressed tightly against the skin at the time of discharge. The force of the gunshot causes a characteristic laceration of the skin due to the explosive expansion
- [Blunt abdominal wounds](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/blunt-abdominal-wounds/) - This individual has blunt abdominal wounds after falling out of the cabin when his tractor rolled over and was crushed to the ground by the frame of the front upper part of the cabin. The immediate cause of death was traumatic hemorrhagic shock (intestinal ruptures, profuse bleeding into the abdominal cavity and out of the
- [Maggot mass on corpse's face](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/maggot-mass-on-corpses-face/) - Maggots cause most of the body’s decomposition because the maggot will do the majority of the eating. Maggots have powerful proteolytic enzymes that aid the dissolution of tissues and facilitate penetration. The maggots are voracious and energetic, first exploring the natural passages, such as mouth and nostrils, then burrowing into the tissues. They secrete digestive
- [Drug murder](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/drug-murder/) - This photo illustrates the level of violence involved in drug murders. This victim and his associate were tortured to death by chain saw and the body parts were dumped at a remote location. This is a morgue photo. The two victims, who had worked for a major drug dealer as “enforcers,” had gone into business
- [Death caused by self strangulation](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/death-caused-by-self-strangulation/) - A case where death was caused by self strangulation. The initial picture is vaguely suggestive of the arm being in the air, however this is dispelled in the latter picture and by other scene photos. Although there are extremely unusual aspects to this case, it was deemed to be a suicide due to the lack
- [Shotgun gunshot wound to the head](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/shotgun-gunshot-wound-to-the-head/) - The head is the most common location for a suicidal shotgun wound (74%), followed by the chest (20%) and then the abdomen (6%). In head wounds, the most common location was intraoral (50%), followed by under the chin (19%); side of head, including parietal and temporal wounds (15%); and the face, including the forehead (13%).
- [Putrefaction of a body](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/putrefaction-of-a-body/) - Decomposition, or putrefaction, is a combination of two processes: autolysis and bacterial action. Autolysis is the breakdown of cells and organs through an aseptic chemical process caused by intracellular enzymes. Because it is a chemical process, it is accelerated by heat, slowed by cold, and stopped by freezing. Bacterial action results in the conversion of
- [Intraoral gunshot wound](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/intraoral-gunshot-wound/) - In this intraoral gunshot wound, note the tissue tears extending from the sides of the mouth. These tears result from the large amount of gases exiting the end of the barrel at high pressures. In contrast to the head, contact shotgun wounds of the torso often have a fairly innocuous appearance, likely related to the
- [Pedestrian run over by a train](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/pedestrian-run-over-by-a-train/) - This pedestrian was transected through the torso when he was run over by a train. Note the large, wide abrasion extending nearly horizontally across his lower chest and the extensive disruption of the abdominal soft tissues. Fig.1 Pedestrian run over by a train. Latest posts Man driving a Chevrolet Corvette decapitated Herman the Shocker |
- [22-years-old student bound and murdered](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/22-years-old-student-bound-and-murdered/) - USA. Police found the body of Dana Bailey on March 5, 1987, at her apartment. She sustained six or seven stab wounds to the heart and lungs. She was 22-years-old. Dana became the victim of an offender who had stalked her. He came into her apartment in the middle of the night, bound her, and
- [Decomposing woman found hanging](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/decomposing-woman-found-hanging/) - A woman was discovered hanging in what appeared to be a suicide, and due to the passage of several days before her body was found, significant decomposition had already set in. In cases of hanging, livor mortis, or postmortem pooling of blood, is often seen in the lower extremities, while rigor mortis may have initially
- [Fatal incised wound of the neck](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/fatal-incised-wound-of-the-neck/) - During a car crash, rotational movement of the occupant’s head against the jagged glass resulted in a deep incised wound to the neck, severing vital structures and causing fatal hemorrhage. Forensic examination focuses on injury patterns, blood distribution, and glass fracture characteristics to confirm the mechanism of injury. The sharpness of the glass, impact dynamics,
- [Vehicular intrusion](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/vehicular-intrusion/) - Vehicular intrusion occurs when external objects penetrate a vehicle’s occupant space during a crash. In this case, a passenger was impaled by a fence pole, likely due to the vehicle colliding with or being forced into the barrier. High-speed impact or structural failure can exacerbate intrusion severity. Forensic analysis involves examining impact angles, vehicle deformation,
- [Human blow torch](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/human-blow-torch/) - The images show a jet of ignited putrefaction gas (methane) at the end of a needle inserted into swollen scrotums of decomposed bodies. As a result of putrefactive gas formation in a corpse, wounds may hiss and spit from the increased pressures in the body. Gas and fluid may be expelled forcefully from the orifices.
- [Suicidal hanging of a young man](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/suicidal-hanging-of-a-young-man/) - Suicidal hanging of a young man with the knees bent and the feet touching the floor. The hanging device was a belt forming an open noose fixed to the handle of a window. The blinds had been pulled down to prevent early detection of the victim. A suicide note was found on the desk. Fig.1
- [Incomplete decapitation with exenteration of the brain](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/incomplete-decapitation-with-exenteration-of-the-brain/) - Germany. On the afternoon of a bright day in early spring, a 69-year-old man was riding a motorcycle on a two-lane federal road. The dual carriageway was formed by the merging of a one-lane main road and a one-lane access road. As reported by witnesses on the scene, the motorcycle, after entering from the access
- [Putrefaction indoors in summertime after 60 hours since death](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/putrefaction-indoors-in-summertime-after-60-hours-since-death/) - Note the bloated face of the deceased. This victim’s body was found indoors during the summertime. He had been dead for only 60 hours when discovered. Decomposition, or putrefaction, is a combination of two processes: autolysis and bacterial action. Autolysis is the breakdown of cells and organs through an aseptic chemical process caused by intracellular
- [Postmortem animal depredation by crustaceans](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/postmortem-animal-depredation-by-crustaceans/) - Oval to round cutaneous defects caused by crustaceans postmortem on the neck and upper trunk in a drowning victim. Such injuries should not be confused with stab wounds or gunshot holes. In drowning victims or persons whose death led to their deposition in water or when a body has been dumped in an aquatic environment,
- [Contact gunshot wound of her right temple](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/contact-gunshot-wound-of-her-right-temple/) - This 52-year-old woman has a contact gunshot wound of her right temple. Note how the scalp is split by tears radiating from a central region of the wound where the end of the muzzle of the gun was pressed tightly against the skin. When a gun is fired, a cloud of hot gas is expressed
- [Morbidly obese bodies require special lifting devices](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/morbidly-obese-bodies-require-special-lifting-devices/) - The morbidity and mortality produced by obesity in the United States and other developed societies has reached epidemic proportions. Although the problem starts in childhood and adolescence, the medical impact takes hold in adult life. Clinical studies have shown the effect of obesity on cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer degenerative joint diseases among others, and some
- [Diptera larvae collected from the ocular cavity of a cadaver](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/diptera-larvae-collected-from-the-ocular-cavity-of-a-cadaver/) - On June 28, 2009, a 70-year-old male corpse was found in his house in Pisa. He was lying on the floor, between the bed and the sofa. He was wearing a shirt, undershirt, blue jeans, and underpants. Doors and windows were closed, and the house was described as messy and dirty. The body was in
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- [Skin burns on a victim of lysol suicide](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/skin-burns-on-a-victim-of-lysol-suicide/) - Skin burns on a victim of lysol suicide. The trickle pattern makes it obvious that the victim was either standing or sitting erect when drinking the fluid. Lysol is an American brand of cleaning and disinfecting products. The phenolic corrosives, such as carbolic acid and lysol, are occasionally encountered as suicidal agents. Toxicologically, none of
- [Fungal growth on a corpse](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/fungal-growth-on-a-corpse/) - A 42-year-old woman was discovered dead, the body was covered with fungal plaques. She had been leading a solitary life and received long-term treatment for schizophrenia. The death incident happened in the first week of April in cold weather when her stove had been lighting. Upon declaration of her brother, she was last seen alive
- [Contact wound between the eyes from a .357 Magnum revolver](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/contact-wound-between-the-eyes-from-a-357-magnum-revolver/) - Massive injuries from contact handgun wounds of the head, when they do occur, are associated with Magnum calibers, e.g., the .357 Magnum, the .44 Magnum, or high-velocity, high-energy cartridge loadings of medium caliber weapons, e.g., .38 Special +P+ cartridges. These cartridges can inflict contact wounds that in their severity mimic wounds from rifles and shotguns.
- [Contact blanching on the back of the body depicting a pistol](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/contact-blanching-on-the-back-of-the-body-depicting-a-pistol/) - This individual died lying on top of a gun. The patterned appearance of the gun is seen because of Livor mortis. Livor mortis (synonyms: livores, postmortem lividity, postmortem hypostasis) is visible as a usually bluish-violaceous to purple coloration appearing on lower (dependent) parts of the body within 30min to 3h after death. Fig.1 Contact blanching
- [Postmortem injuries inflicted by a domestic dog](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/postmortem-injuries-inflicted-by-a-domestic-dog-3/) - Postmortem animal depredation is a substantial part of the taphonomic processes a body undergoes after death. While the occurrence and presentation of such injuries are well known to forensic pathologists, the morphological appearance of these injuries may be misinterpreted by police officers or members of other investigating authorities. The individual in the images received the
- [Woman found mummified in her apartment](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/woman-found-mummified-in-her-apartment/) - A woman was found dead in her apartment in January 2009. She had not been seen for 40 days. She was lying on a mattress on the floor. The window in the room was closed and the shutters were down. All other windows and shutters in the rest of the flat were closed, apart from
- [Complete body transection across abdomen and decapitation](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/complete-body-transection-across-abdomen-and-decapitation/) - This individual died from a complete body transection across abdomen, and decapitation in a motorcycle accident. Blunt-force abdominal trauma is relatively common. It can range in severity from minor cutaneous injuries to deep internal injuries, and even complete body transection. Frequently, blunt-force trauma is related to sudden deceleration mechanisms in addition to impact forces. Factors
- [Cadaver face dissection](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/cadaver-face-dissection/) - This picture was taken by an Italian medical student during an autopsy on the island of Malta. Apparently, medical students in Italy are not allowed to study human anatomy on real cadavers, so they go to neighbouring island nation of Malta and do it there, where it is allowed. Despite the significant Italian tradition of
- [The so-called “burst head” effect from a shotgun](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/the-so-called-burst-head-effect-from-a-shotgun/) - The “burst head” effect from a shotgun refers to extreme cranial trauma caused by a close-range shotgun blast to the head. From a forensic science perspective, the high-energy discharge and pellet spread result in massive tissue disruption, skull fragmentation, and often complete loss of cranial contents. At contact or near-contact range, expanding gases enter the
- [Postmortem animal scavenging](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/postmortem-animal-scavenging-3/) - Incomplete skeletonization of a forearm due to post-mortem animal scavenging by a domestic German Shepherd. Skeletonization (synonym: skeletalization) is the total or partial loss of soft tissue (complete or incomplete skeletonization, respectively) with resultant exposure of bones. Incomplete skeletonization may proceed to complete skeletonization but this does not necessarily take place since only discrete portions
- [Suicidal plastic bag suffocation](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/suicidal-plastic-bag-suffocation/) - USA. A case of simple asphyxia combined with external airway obstruction by a plastic bag, in a suicidal drug overdose. Simple asphyxia is a term that is used by some to describe a lack of environmental oxygen. This can occur in a variety of settings. In one, a person is confined within a space that
- [Execution type drug hit](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/execution-type-drug-hit/) - This photo depicts a standard “execution type” drug hit. The victim’s hands were secured behind his back. A pillow was used to muffle the sounds of the shots into his head. The body was not discovered for several days and you can see the flies on the body along with the maggot activity. Fig.1 Execution
- [Suicide by shotgun](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/suicide-by-shotgun-2/) - The individual shown in the image committed suicide by shotgun. The image is taken during autopsy. The head is the most common location for a suicidal shotgun wound (74%), followed by the chest (20%) and then the abdomen (6%). In head wounds, the most common location was intraoral (50%), followed by under the chin (19%);
- [Woman was found dead in her bedroom](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/woman-was-found-dead-in-her-bedroom/) - A 56-year-old woman was found dead in her bedroom. Her face and the bed were covered with thick coffee-ground emesis and a pail located adjacent to the bed contained similar material. At autopsy, the upper gastrointestinal tract contained a large quantity of altered blood. The blood was found to originate from a large chronic duodenal
- [Body of a man who committed suicide by hanging](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/body-of-a-man-who-committed-suicide-by-hanging/) - This individual committed suicide by hanging. Here the body is at the morgue for inspection. Hanging is one of the most commonly used methods for suicide in both sexes worldwide. From a forensic perspective, suicidal hanging typically shows signs like a ligature mark high on the neck, upward and oblique in direction. There’s often no
- [Motorcyclist dragged 40km by a truck](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/motorcyclist-dragged-40km-by-a-truck/) - 2018 – Argentina. A 62 year old motorcyclist died after getting stuck to the rear underride guards of a truck and dragged 40km(25 miles). The truck driver, a 41 year old Brazilian national driving for Brazilian company Multi Armazens, was arrested but could not explain what happened. The driver of the truck had not noticed
- [Self-inflicted wounds to the neck by a broken bottle](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/self-inflicted-wounds-to-the-neck-by-a-broken-bottle/) - Numerous hesitation marks accompany the self-inflicted gouges to the neck by a broken bottle. Hesitation marks are not always present with self- inflicted incised wounds. Hesitation marks are usually straight sharp instrument wounds that are often found on the bodies, especially the wrists and neck area, of suicide victims. Hesitation marks tend to be of
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- [Self-inflicted incised wounds](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/self-inflicted-incised-wounds/) - This individual has self-inflicted incised wounds on the neck, in the antecubital fossae, and on the flexor aspects of the forearms, as well as on the wrists. Although the discovery of a body with multiple sharp force injuries can be alarming, the location/distribution of injuries is important in the differentiation between suicidal and homicidal injuries.
- [Woman accidentally pulled towards a circular saw](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/woman-accidentally-pulled-towards-a-circular-saw/) - Serbia. A 67-year-old woman, without any somatic or psychiatric comorbidities, was found dead in a shed in her backyard. Not having seen her in a while, her husband had started looking for her and found her lying over a circular saw which was off at that moment because of a recent power cut. Fig.1 The
- [Man run over by a train](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/man-run-over-by-a-train-2/) - This individual was run over by a train. Railroad deaths in the US totaled 757 in 2020, a decrease of more than 12% from the 2019 revised total of 862 and the lowest since 2015. Nonfatal injuries totaled 5,479, a 33% decrease from the 2019 revised total of 7,983. From 2019 to 2020, fatalities at
- [Incised wounds across the face and neck](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/incised-wounds-across-the-face-and-neck/) - USA. A cluster of incised wounds across the face and neck. Incised wounds can also be referred to as “cutting” injuries. They result from contact with a sharp-edged object, with the force of impact running in a direction that is roughly parallel (or tangential) to the skin surface. If the object inflicting the injury is
- [Patterned abrasion on the chest from seat belt](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/patterned-abrasion-on-the-chest-from-seat-belt/) - Occasionally, one is able to glean important information from wounds such as in the 19-year-old female featured in this image. This individual was one of four people killed in a single-vehicle accident. The patterned abrasion on her chest is consistent with that left by a passenger-side seat belt. This feature proved key to the ultimate
- [A man drove his watercraft into the port side of a boat](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/a-man-drove-his-watercraft-into-the-port-side-of-a-boat/) - A man drove his watercraft into the port side of a boat. The propeller wounds begin on the face and continue down the neck onto the left shoulder and left upper arm. A wound across the forehead fractured the frontal bone, including the orbital plates. This wound also transected the frontal lobes. Experimentation with the
- [Fatal chop wounds on the side of the head from an axe](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/fatal-chop-wounds-on-the-side-of-the-head-from-an-axe/) - This individual has fatal chop wounds on the side of the head from an axe. Chop wounds are an intermediary between blunt and sharp force injuries in that they involve both tissue laceration and slicing. Among the most common objects causing chop wounds are axes, machetes, propellers, and machinery blades. The chop wounds from boat
- [Protrusion of the tongue on this decomposing individual](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/protrusion-of-the-tongue-on-this-decomposing-individual-2/) - Notice the protrusion of the tongue on this decomposing individual. The rate of decomposition depends on the temperature, ground conditions, amount of clothing, size of the body, etc. In decomposition, bacterial activity and tissue breakdown cause putrefaction, releasing gases like hydrogen sulfide and methane. These gases accumulate in soft tissues, including the tongue, leading to
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- [Postmortem animal destruction of a corpse](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/postmortem-animal-destruction-of-a-corpse/) - A broad range of carnivores can be involved in the postmortem destruction of corpses located in open spaces or indoors (e.g. wild animals such as foxes and big cats or domestic animals such as dogs and cats). The wound margins caused by carnivores often appear more regular than those caused by rodents and V-shaped or
- [Probe demonstrating the path of projectile](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/probe-demonstrating-the-path-of-projectile/) - Probes are effective in demonstrating the paths of projectiles through the body. All cutaneous wounds must be photographed at low and high power prior to any physical intervention such as the insertion of probes. Wounds on the extremities may be probed unless dissection is required to identify injuries to specific structures such as the femoral
- [Lacerations inflicted by a claw hammer](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/lacerations-inflicted-by-a-claw-hammer/) - Lacerations inflicted by a claw hammer. Multiple lacerations with split and abraded margins are typical for bludgeoning but are otherwise nonspecific. Claw hammers have the specific characteristic of having two distinct ends: one a flat head of variable form, the other bifurcated. So the use of this tool as a blunt instrument will cause varying
- [Gunshot wound on the right side of the chin](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/gunshot-wound-on-the-right-side-of-the-chin/) - This man has a gunshot wound on the right side of the chin. Stippling is evident immediately around the gunshot wound, but additional irregular, discrete to focally confluent punctate abrasions are on the left side of the face and the neck. These additional irregular abrasions demonstrate pseudostippling from ant bites. Fig.1 Gunshot wound on the
- [Decomposing individual and maggot mass](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/decomposing-individual-and-maggot-mass/) - Decomposition, or putrefaction, is a combination of two processes: autolysis and bacterial action. Autolysis is the breakdown of cells and organs through an aseptic chemical process caused by intracellular enzymes. Because it is a chemical process, it is accelerated by heat, slowed by cold, and stopped by freezing. Bacterial action results in the conversion of
- [Suicide by holding a grenade close to mouth](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/suicide-by-holding-a-grenade-close-to-mouth/) - This man committed suicide by holding a grenade with both hands close to his mouth. Deaths from explosive substances or devices are encountered in both civil and military circumstances. On the other hand anomic suicides with explosives (except living bomb cases) are very rare in forensic pathology. Fig.1 Suicide by holding a grenade close to
- [Kansas woman murdered in her home](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/kansas-woman-murdered-in-her-home/) - On May 5, 1998, at approximately 9:17 a.m., Wichita, Kansas, officers were dispatched to a small, one-bedroom, duplex apartment on a report of a deceased person. The house was divided into two apartments: one in the front and one in the back of the house. The victim lived in the back portion of the duplex.
- [Bulging of the eyes, lips and face](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/bulging-of-the-eyes-lips-and-face/) - Note the bulging eyes, lips and face with protrusion of the tongue on this decomposing individual, all related to the decomposition process. No further info about this case. Decomposition, or putrefaction, is a combination of two processes: autolysis and bacterial action. Autolysis is the breakdown of cells and organs through an aseptic chemical process caused
- [Blunt force trauma](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/blunt-force-trauma-2/) - The injuries sustained by victim who was beaten about the head and face with a rock. Homicidal blunt force trauma refers to injuries caused by intentional, forceful impact from a blunt object in an assault that leads to death. Such trauma may involve repeated blows or high-force impacts to vulnerable areas like the head, chest,
- [Positional asphyxia](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/positional-asphyxia/) - This victim who was inebriated had fallen off the bed unto the floor landing in this position with the body weight onto the neck. Positional asphyxia can occur when a person’s position prevents them from breathing adequately. This can occur through carelessness or as a consequence of an accident. An example would be someone who
- [Shotgun suicide to the head](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/shotgun-suicide-to-the-head/) - Middle-aged man committed suicide by shooting himself with a shotgun in the head. The head is the most common location for a suicidal shotgun wound (74%), followed by the chest (20%) and then the abdomen (6%). In head wounds, the most common location was intraoral (50%), followed by under the chin (19%); side of head,
- [Scrotal enlargement from gas formation](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/scrotal-enlargement-from-gas-formation-2/) - The scrotal area enlarges during decomposition due to the buildup of gases produced by bacteria involved in the breakdown of tissues. This process, called putrefaction, generates gases like methane, hydrogen sulfide, and carbon dioxide. These gases accumulate in soft tissues, causing them to swell, including in areas like the scrotum where the skin is thin
- [Explosive effect of a contact gunshot wound](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/explosive-effect-of-a-contact-gunshot-wound/) - Explosive effect of a contact gunshot wound from a .44 magnum revolver. The explosive effect of the wound is obvious. Nonetheless, reconstruction of the skull helps determine entry and exit sites. A close-contact gunshot wound to the head often causes extreme damage due to the buildup of high-pressure gases from the firearm’s discharge. When the
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- [Postmortem predation from fish and crustaceans](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/postmortem-predation-from-fish-and-crustaceans/) - Postmortem feeding from fish and crustaceans found on this body retrieved from the ocean. No further info. Bodies that are found in the sea will often be decomposed and injured by the action of waves against obstructions or by marine predators, and blood may be washed out of the wounds. These changes may complicate the
- [Marbling in a suicide](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/marbling-in-a-suicide/) - The individual in the pictures committed suicide by hanging. Marbling is a common finding usually found after at least 24 h since death occurred and is a red, green, and black discoloration that follows the vessels of the body due to the breakdown of hemoglobin. Marbling occurs when certain types of bacteria found in the
- [Multiple dicing injuries](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/multiple-dicing-injuries/) - Two 21-year-old men were involved in a motor vehicle collision after being seen leaving a house party together in the same vehicle. The men were not wearing seatbelts, and both were ejected during a rollover collision that followed the loss of control of the speeding vehicle around a bend in the road. Both men were
- [How blood can obscure the true nature of an injury](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/how-blood-can-obscure-the-true-nature-of-an-injury/) - An example of how blood can obscure the true nature of an injury. In the first picture of a man with a gunshot wound of the head, it is impossible to identify the wound. In the second photograph of the same man, the body has been cleaned and the hair has been shaved from around
- [Decomposed head and fractured skull](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/decomposed-head-and-fractured-skull/) - Decomposed head and fractured skull of a person, who disappeared in the autumn before the river was covered with ice. The injuries have possibly been caused post-mortem by the ice packs when the body surfaced in the spring. Decomposition is the natural process of organic matter breaking down after death, driven by autolysis (self-digestion) and
- [Man attacked and killed by a bear](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/man-attacked-and-killed-by-a-bear/) - Russia. This individual was attacked and killed by a bear. Bear attacks can be fatal, though they are relatively rare. Bears may attack when surprised, defending cubs, or feeling threatened. Species like grizzlies and polar bears are more aggressive, while black bears are typically less so. Fatalities often result from severe trauma caused by powerful
- [Suicidal firearm wound from a twelve-bore shotgun](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/suicidal-firearm-wound-from-a-twelve-bore-shotgun/) - Suicidal firearm wound from a twelve-bore shotgun. The wound shows a muzzle impression with soot soiling, the double-barrelled shotgun having been pressed against the skin at discharge. A 12-bore shotgun blast to the chest is highly fatal due to its immense kinetic energy, spread pattern, and tissue destruction. At close range, the shot penetrates deeply,
- [Suicide by hanging in the woods](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/suicide-by-hanging-in-the-woods/) - This individual committed suicide by hanging in the woods. Hanging suicides in remote locations pose unique forensic challenges. Decomposition is often advanced due to delayed discovery, complicating time-of-death estimates. Environmental factors—weather, scavengers—can alter the scene. Investigators assess ligature marks, livor mortis, and signs of struggle to differentiate suicide from homicide. Atypical suspension points (trees, beams)
- [Man beaten and tortured and killed](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/man-beaten-and-tortured-and-killed/) - USA. This victim was beaten and tortured before he was shot in the head, stuffed in a 55-gal drum, and dumped. Torture is a severe form of violence and is universally condemned as a violation of human rights. In areas where gang violence is prevalent, it often intersects with other social issues, such as poverty,
- [Autoerotic death with freon gas](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/autoerotic-death-with-freon-gas/) - An autoerotic asphyxia death in which the cross-dressed victim used duct tape, various ligature mechanisms, and freon gas. Autoerotic asphyxia is a type of intentional asphyxial activity that is typically, but not always, performed in isolation as a means of increasing sexual arousal and experience. Apparently, the relative hypoxia (decreased blood oxygen) associated with autoerotic
- [Monthly Magazine March 2025](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/monthly-magazine-march-2025/) - Click here to open the March magazine Other magazines Monthly Magazine May 2025 Herman the Shocker | Monthly Magazine | No Comments Click here to open the May magazine Other magazines Monthly Magazine April 2025 Herman the Shocker | Monthly Magazine | No Comments Click here to open the April magazine Other magazines Monthly Magazine
- [Massive body injury in a pilot who crashed at high speed](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/massive-body-injury-in-a-pilot-who-crashed-at-high-speed/) - Massive body injury in a pilot who crashed at high speed (after clothing removal). An aircraft crash typically involves major forces. As such, massive injury can result, such that bodies can become severely disfigured or fragmented. A general rule of thumb is that if the aircraft is recognizable, there is a good chance that the
- [Crush injury to the skull and thorax](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/crush-injury-to-the-skull-and-thorax/) - This individual has a skull fracture with exposure of brain mass, as well as a fracture of the viscerocranial bones. Head injuries are one of the most common causes of disability and death in adults. The injury can be as mild as a bump, bruise (contusion), or cut on the head, or can be moderate
- [Bloated decomposing body](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/bloated-decomposing-body/) - Note the bloating and protrusion of the tongue on this decomposing individual, all related to the decomposition process. No further info about this case. Decomposition, or putrefaction, is a combination of two processes: autolysis and bacterial action. Autolysis is the breakdown of cells and organs through an aseptic chemical process caused by intracellular enzymes. Because
- [Mangled body after shell explosion](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/mangled-body-after-shell-explosion/) - Mangled body after shell explosion, no further info. A shell, in a military context, is a projectile whose payload contains an explosive, incendiary, or other chemical filling. Originally it was called a bombshell, but “shell” has come to be unambiguous in a military context. Modern usage sometimes includes large solid kinetic projectiles, which are more
- [Suicide with a knife](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/suicide-with-a-knife/) - Russia. This individual committed suicide by cutting his neck with a knife, no further info. Cut throat injuries can be either suicidal or homicidal. These are well recognized methods of homicide and are less commonly used in suicides and are very rarely accidental. Suicide is one of the leading causes of death in the world.
- [The cannibal of Tatarstan](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/the-cannibal-of-tatarstan/) - Russia. Aleksey Vasilyevich Sukletin was a Soviet serial killer, rapist and cannibal. Between 1979 and 1985 along with accomplices Madina Shakirova and Anatoly Nikitin, he killed and cannibalized seven girls and women in Tatarstan. Aleksey was born in 1943, in Kazan, RSFSR, Soviet Union. Sukletin suffered from alcoholism, drinking heavily until he reached adulthood. The first crime he committed was in February 1960, at
- [Near decapitation](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/near-decapitation/) - This individual was nearly decapitated. An incomplete decapitation occurs when the head is partially severed from the body but remains attached by some tissues, such as skin, muscles, or ligaments. Unlike complete decapitation, where the head is entirely detached, an incomplete decapitation may still allow limited blood flow and neural connection, though survival is extremely
- [Face cut off in motorcycle accident](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/face-cut-off-in-motorcycle-accident/) - This motorcyclist died when he collided with a car and his face was cut off by the windshield of the car. Decapitation in motorcycle accidents is rare but can occur under specific high-impact conditions. Forensically, it typically results from collisions at high speeds with fixed objects like guardrails, cables, or large vehicles. The mechanism involves
- [Contact blanching](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/contact-blanching/) - Livor mortis (synonyms: livores, postmortem lividity, postmortem hypostasis) is visible as a usually bluish-violaceous to purple coloration appearing on lower (dependent) parts of the body within 30min to 3h after death. Livor mortis is frequently patterned since the appearance of livores is hindered when the vessels in dependent parts of the body are obstructed due
- [Suicidal throat cut](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/suicidal-throat-cut/) - Spain. This individual cut his throat in a suicide attempt, the cut penetrated the thoracic cavity. A cut throat suicide is rare and requires careful forensic analysis to differentiate from homicide. Key indicators of suicide include hesitation cuts (shallow, parallel incisions), a downward and lateral cutting direction, and the presence of the weapon nearby. Injuries
- [Laceration of the scalp from a heavy torch](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/laceration-of-the-scalp-from-a-heavy-torch/) - Laceration of the scalp from a 30 cm long heavy torch (insert). The skin over the shoulders is reddish due to first-and second-degree burns. The victim was hit on the head while sleeping in bed, after which the husband poured petrol over the body and set it on fire. Fig.1 Laceration of the scalp from
- [Man found dead in a truck](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/man-found-dead-in-a-truck/) - Russia. A man was found dead in the back of a truck. The man had gunshot wound on his face. The incident appears to be a homicide. The forensic investigation of homicide involves applying scientific methods to determine the cause, manner, and circumstances of death. It starts with securing the crime scene to preserve evidence,
- [Suicide by cutting arms](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/suicide-by-cutting-arms/) - This individual committed suicide by cutting deep wounds into his arms and bled out. Self-inflicted sharp-force injuries, including cutting the arms, are a recognized method in suicidal and parasuicidal behavior. However, deep, fatal incised wounds to the arms are relatively uncommon in completed suicides. More frequently, non-fatal self-cutting is associated with self-harm or suicide attempts
- [Homicide with a broken bottle](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/homicide-with-a-broken-bottle/) - Russia. This man was killed with a broken bottle and has deep cuts and lacerations on his neck. Homicides involving broken glass or other dangerous objects are less common than those using firearms or knives but do occur. From a forensic standpoint, these cases present unique wound patterns, including irregular lacerations, defensive injuries, and embedded
- [Mental patient commits suicide with a frame saw](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/mental-patient-commits-suicide-with-a-frame-saw/) - Gaping laceration in front of neck of a mental patient, who on leave from a psychiatric hospital, had used a frame saw to commit suicide. Arrow shows the marks of the saw teeth around the laceration and medulla at the bottom Fig.1 Gaping laceration in front of neck of a mental patient. A suicidal cut
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- [Homicidal lacerations of the scalp](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/homicidal-lacerations-of-the-scalp/) - Homicidal lacerations of the scalp penetrating the skull. Although some of the injuries resemble incised wounds, their margins are crushed, and hairs and tissue strands cross the injuries. The damage was probably inflicted with a metal rod with sharp edges. Fig.1 Latest posts Man driving a Chevrolet Corvette decapitated Herman the Shocker | Accident |
- [Suicide by hanging using a belt](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/suicide-by-hanging-using-a-belt/) - This individual committed suicide by hanging using a belt. Suicide by hanging is the intentional killing of oneself via suspension from an anchor-point such as an overhead beam or hook, by a rope or cord or by jumping from a height with a around the neck. Hanging is often considered to be a simple suicide
- [Homicidal chop wounds](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/homicidal-chop-wounds/) - This individual has homicidal chop wounds. Chop wounds can be considered a combination of sharp and blunt force trauma, wherein a relatively bulky object with an edge, or a fast-moving object with an edge, impacts the body, resulting in injuries that have features of sharp force trauma as well as those of blunt force trauma.
- [Maggots on face of deceased person](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/maggots-on-face-of-deceased-person/) - Maggots cause most of the body’s decomposition because the maggot will do the majority of the eating. Maggots have powerful proteolytic enzymes that aid the dissolution of tissues and facilitate penetration. The maggots are voracious and energetic, first exploring the natural passages, such as mouth and nostrils, then burrowing into the tissues. They secrete digestive
- [Suicide with a shotgun to the head](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/suicide-with-a-shotgun-to-the-head-2/) - This individual committed suicide with a shotgun to the head, no further info. In the head, neck, and limbs, shotgun exit wounds can be ragged and very large, with extensive tissue damage. In a suicide where the gun has been placed in the mouth, there will be significant disruption of the head, and brain may
- [Cut throat and abrasions](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/cut-throat-and-abrasions/) - This man has cut throat and abrasions on his neck. No further info. Cut throat is not the commonly preferred method for committing suicide. Homicidal cut throat injuries are more commonly found in others studies. The most important task for forensic expert is to distinguish between suicidal and homicidal cut throat injuries. Therefore in crime
- [Pregnant woman killed and her baby taken](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/pregnant-woman-killed-and-her-baby-taken/) - On September 27, 2000, 23-year-old Theresa Andrews, who was 9 months pregnant, disappeared without a trace. Her husband reported her missing to the Ravenna, Ohio, Police Department. The husband, Jon, told police that on Wednesday morning Theresa told him that she received a call at home from a person inquiring about a Jeep the Andrews
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- [Suicidal discharge of a shotgun below the chin](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/suicidal-discharge-of-a-shotgun-below-the-chin/) - Close-range suicidal discharge of a shotgun below the chin. There is marked powder blackening of the chin and a ragged and irregular exit wound on the cheek. A suicidal shotgun discharge below the chin typically causes massive, instantly fatal injuries. The blast creates extensive cavitation, fracturing the mandible and skull base while ejecting brain matter.
- [Close discharge of a 12-bore shotgun to the chest](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/close-discharge-of-a-12-bore-shotgun-to-the-chest/) - Close discharge of a 12-bore shotgun to the chest. There is a large hole, partly due to disruption by gas, and no evidence of pellet scatter is seen. A close-range discharge of a 12-bore shotgun to the chest is almost always fatal due to massive tissue destruction, hemorrhage, and shock. At close range, the shot
- [Drinking buddy kills friend with a chair leg](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/drinking-buddy-kills-friend-with-a-chair-leg/) - Russia. This man was killed by his drinking buddy with a leg from a chair. When drunk people fight and one dies from injuries, forensic investigation focuses on intent, cause of death, and culpability. Alcohol impairs judgment and control, often escalating violence. Forensic experts analyze injuries (type, severity, location) to determine if they were accidental,
- [Suicide by hanging](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/suicide-by-hanging-4/) - This individual committed suicide by hanging and plastic bag suffocation. A complex suicide involves multiple methods of self-harm employed simultaneously or sequentially to ensure death. In cases involving hanging and plastic bag suffocation, the individual typically combines these methods to minimize the risk of failure. The hanging may be partial, with the body not entirely
- [A secret life with a deceased relative](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/a-secret-life-with-a-deceased-relative/) - In the summer of 2015 in Germany, a body in a state of decomposition was found in an apartment in a multi-story residential building. Neighboring tenants had reported a horrible smell in the hallway and alerted the emergency services. The apartment was a two-room apartment furnished in the style of the 1970s. Thick layers of dust lay
- [Man with shotgun wounds on his face](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/man-with-shotgun-wounds-on-his-face/) - This individual has shotgun gunshot wounds on his face from the shotgun pellets. Injuries from shotgun pellets vary based on range, shot size, and body area affected. At close range, shotgun blasts can cause devastating injuries due to concentrated energy, leading to extensive tissue destruction, bone fractures, and large entry wounds. Intermediate ranges result in
- [A man murdered in a field](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/a-man-murdered-in-a-field/) - Russia. A man was found dead in a field. The man had wounds on his neck and a gunshot wound on his cheek. The incident appears to be a homicide. The forensic investigation of homicide involves applying scientific methods to determine the cause, manner, and circumstances of death. It starts with securing the crime scene
- [Multiple homicidal lacerations of the scalp](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/multiple-homicidal-lacerations-of-the-scalp/) - Multiple homicidal lacerations of the scalp. The unusual shape is difficult to interpret, but they were caused by a claw hammer. Two are triangular, the upper and lower show tissue bridges because of the gap between the two claws. Fig.1 Multiple homicidal lacerations of the scalp. Latest posts Man driving a Chevrolet Corvette decapitated Herman
- [Tangential shotgun wound of face](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/tangential-shotgun-wound-of-face/) - Tangential shotgun wound of face. The edge of the dispersal cone of pellets and gas has ploughed through the cheek, and removed the ear. The facial bones and base of the skull were fractured. A tangential shotgun wound occurs when pellets graze the body at an oblique angle rather than penetrating deeply. This type of
- [Victim of a motor vehicle collision](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/victim-of-a-motor-vehicle-collision/) - Depending on the injury type, severity, and location, persons who are victims of severe trauma may not be visually identifiable. This is a victim of a motor vehicle collision. Ultimately, if a reliable visual or scientific method of identification cannot be made, then other features may be useful in making a positive identification. For example,
- [Localized injury by an explosive device](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/localized-injury-by-an-explosive-device/) - Localized injury by an explosive device. The soldier picked up an apparently ‘dud’ smoke shell, which then detonated. He lived for some weeks, the injury having partly healed, though part of the face and skull were destroyed. Fig.1 Localized injury by an explosive device. Latest posts Man driving a Chevrolet Corvette decapitated Herman the Shocker
- [Disintegration of the head of a young female terrorist](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/disintegration-of-the-head-of-a-young-female-terrorist/) - Disintegration of the head of a young female terrorist in the Malayan emergency from a single bullet entering the external auditory meatus. The weapon was a F-N rifle with a high muzzle velocity; the impact of the missile on the base of the skull instantly converted the kinetic energy into a virtual explosion Fig.1 Disintegration
- [Suicidal cut throat](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/suicidal-cut-throat/) - Suicidal cut throat. The wounds are horizontal, rather than the more common sloping-down from left to right in a right- handed person. The numerous ‘tentative cuts’ are the hallmark of self-infliction, though there are rare exceptions. The larynx has been entered and death was due to aspiration of blood into the air passages. The great
- [Mummified pensioner and his homemade sex doll](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/mummified-pensioner-and-his-homemade-sex-doll/) - 2018 – St. Petersburg, Russia. Rescuers found the mummy of an elderly man in one of the residential buildings in St. Petersburg. A pensioner who died a few months ago was lying on the couch in an embrace with a sex doll made of garbage and scrap materials. According to preliminary data, the death of
- [Shot in the head and processed through a garbage compactor](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/shot-in-the-head-and-processed-through-a-garbage-compactor/) - This person was killed with a shot in the head, placed in a garbage compactor where the body was processed, and left to decompose. Note the flattening of the body with extensive blunt-force injury and fragmentation. Deaths resulting from blunt force trauma are some of the most common cases encountered by practicing forensic pathologists. Whereas
- [Masses of puparia on partially mummified corpse](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/masses-of-puparia-on-partially-mummified-corpse/) - Necrophagous insects play an important role in the decomposition of the human body. Fly species that are commonly recovered on human corpses concealed in houses or other dwellings are often dependent on human created environments and might have special features in their biology that allow them to colonize indoor cadavers. The photo is from a
- [Chop injuries inflicted by a boat propeller](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/chop-injuries-inflicted-by-a-boat-propeller/) - Several chop injuries inflicted by a boat propeller. Chop injuries are sometimes regarded as a variant of blunt force trauma. These injuries result from impact of the skin by a heavy object with a somewhat sharp facet, causing a wound that has attributes of both sharp force and blunt force trauma. Depending on how sharp
- [Decapitation of the head from a train suicide](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/decapitation-of-the-head-from-a-train-suicide/) - Spain. Decapitation of the head from a train suicide. Train suicides often result in severe and fatal injuries due to the immense speed and weight of trains. Decapitation can occur, but it depends on the impact’s dynamics, including the train’s speed and the position of the individual. Other common outcomes include dismemberment and extensive trauma
- [Natural mummification](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/natural-mummification/) - Natural mummification. Brown to black leathery appearance of the skin. Mummification is the product of desiccation, the drying-up process of soft tissue. Mummification may affect the entire body or only parts of it when only distinct portions of the body have been exposed to the proper environmental conditions. Natural mummification occurs in dry, usually hot
- [Chopping neck wounds](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/chopping-neck-wounds/) - This man has fatal neck wounds from an axe. Chopping wounds are caused by heavy, sharp-edged instruments like axes, machetes, or cleavers. These wounds combine characteristics of incised and blunt-force trauma, typically resulting in deep cuts with underlying bone or tissue damage. Edges of chopping wounds are usually clean but may show abrasions or bruising
- [Mummified body of an elderly male](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/mummified-body-of-an-elderly-male/) - Mummified body of an elderly male that had been lying dead in a block of flats for about 2 months in temperate climate in summer time. There are a few maggots of different stage and the head is covered with a thick layer of pupae. Mummification occurs in hot, dry environments. The body dehydrates and
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- [Woman beaten and strangled to death](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/woman-beaten-and-strangled-to-death/) - USA. The police were summoned to an apartment when friends of the deceased recounted that she had failed to report for work. Police entered the apartment and discovered the nude body of the 27-year-old victim lying on the bedroom floor. Her pants and panties had been pulled down and her blouse was in disarray. A
- [Suicide by electrocution](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/suicide-by-electrocution/) - Fatalities caused by electrocution often lack specific morphologic evidence. Investigation of the death scene together with technical inspection of the electrical apparatus may help to clarify the cause and manner of death. Cutaneous current marks may be the only sign of low-voltage-associated fatalities. Often, a professional such as an electrician may use electric power to
- [Postmortem rodent scavenging](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/postmortem-rodent-scavenging/) - Irregular and finely serrated wound margins with a series of parallel cutaneous lacerations deriving from the biting action of the upper and lower pairs of rodents. This large tissue defect in the face was caused postmortem by rats. The phenomenon of postmortem animal interference with human bodies or their remains is a substantial part of
- [Bizarre use of log splitter in a suicide](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/bizarre-use-of-log-splitter-in-a-suicide/) - The decedent was a 47-year old motor mechanic, who worked in a workshop in a rural community. He had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder approximately five years prior to his death and was being treated for this condition. He had been consulting a doctor fortnightly for the past year due to his suicidal tendencies. The
- [Suicide by drowning](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/suicide-by-drowning/) - This individual committed suicide by drowning because of financial worries. Bodies removed from water show excessive gas production and tissue discoloration, owing to explosive bacterial gas production. The gas causes the bodies to bloat excessively, which can cause an explosion or sudden rupture of the tense abdomen. Fig.1 Suicide by drowning. Decomposition in a wet
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- [Massive head trauma from gunshot](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/massive-head-trauma-from-gunshot/) - Suicidal gunshot wound to the head. No further info. At close range, the shotgun is the most formidable and destructive of all small arms. For birdshot and buckshot loads, the severity and lethality of a shotgun wound depends on the number of pellets that enter the body, the organs struck by the pellets, and the
- [Cut and slash wounds](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/cut-and-slash-wounds/) - Russia. This individual has multiple cut wounds and slash wounds. Slash wounds occur as a result of tangential movements of sharp implements across the skin surface, for example razors, broken glass, knives, swords etc. They are often deeper at their origin, and tend to be more superficial at their termination. They are often aimed at
- [Train track suicide](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/train-track-suicide-2/) - Russia. This individual committed suicide by laying on the train tracks, he then got decapitated from an arriving train. In train track suicides, the body experiences extreme trauma due to the train’s speed and mass. Injuries often include severe dismemberment, decapitation, or crushing. The impact causes catastrophic damage to tissues, bones, and organs, sometimes rendering
- [Corpse of an old woman found in her apartment](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/corpse-of-an-old-woman-found-in-her-apartment/) - In March 2002, the corpse of an old woman found in her apartment in an urban apartment in a Western German town. The apartment was untidy in non-organic terms but no rotten organic matter was seen. In this case, further evidence for neglect of the living person was found in the fact that the skin
- [Suicide by hanging](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/suicide-by-hanging-3/) - This man committed suicide by hanging, furrow marks are on the neck from the rope. Hanging is one of the most commonly used methods for suicide in both sexes worldwide. In a number of countries, hanging mortality has increased over the last decades. Suicide is a complex global public health issue. According to the World
- [Opening of the abdominal body cavity](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/opening-of-the-abdominal-body-cavity/) - Opening of the abdominal body cavity following the (probably accidental) explosion of a homemade pipe bomb containing black powder. Note peppering, bruising, and abrasions seen on and adjacent to the wound’s margin. Fig.1 Opening of the abdominal body cavity. Primary blast injuries Injuries directly inflicted on the human body by the sudden increase in air
- [High velocity rifle wound](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/high-velocity-rifle-wound/) - This individual was shot in the head one time by a police swat team member. The officer was armed with a .308 Remington 700 rifle. The subject had barricaded himself in a motel room while holding a hostage. He was shot in the head after he made the fatal mistake of slightly opening the door
- [Fly larvae in the mouth and eyes](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/fly-larvae-in-the-mouth-and-eyes/) - This individual had been dead for approximately four days. His body was found in the backyard by neighbors. During this period of time, temperatures had reached into the 90s. Note the fly larvae (maggots) in his eyes, nose, and mouth. Insects are invariably the first witnesses to a crime, arriving within minutes or even seconds
- [A burned body found on an “altar” made of banknotes](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/a-burned-body-found-on-an-altar-made-of-banknotes/) - Greece. The partially charred body of a man was found by fire department officers inside a burnt house. Outside of the house, there was a parked car, also burnt. The corpse was identified as the 64-year-old owner of both the house and the vehicle, a man of Greek nationality. The deceased was found lying on
- [Protrusion of the tongue due to putrefactive gas formation](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/protrusion-of-the-tongue-due-to-putrefactive-gas-formation/) - Postmortem protrusion of the tongue due to putrefactive gas formation and purging of putrefactive fluid from the nostrils. At the bloating stage, the microorganisms residing in the human gut begin to digest the tissues of the body, excreting gases that cause the torso and limbs to bloat, and producing foul-smelling chemicals including putrescine and cadaverine.
- [Postmortem injuries inflicted by a domestic dog](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/postmortem-injuries-inflicted-by-a-domestic-dog-2/) - Postmortem animal depredation is a substantial part of the taphonomic processes a body undergoes after death. While the occurrence and presentation of such injuries are well known to forensic pathologists, the morphological appearance of these injuries may be misinterpreted by police officers or members of other investigating authorities. The individual in the image received the
- [Adipocere formation in remains recovered from a moist environment](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/adipocere-formation-in-remains-recovered-from-a-moist-environment-2/) - The image shows adipocere on the remains of an individual recovered from moist environment. Adipocere, also known as corpse wax, grave wax or mortuary wax, is a wax-like organic substance formed by the anaerobic bacterial hydrolysis of fat in tissue, such as body fat in corpses. Adipocere formation may occur in wet or immersed bodies.
- [A homeless alcoholic found dead in a fire](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/a-homeless-alcoholic-found-dead-in-a-fire/) - A homeless alcoholic, found dead in a fire, was extremely drunk. Fatal residential fires account for 10% of all accidental deaths in developed countries, with one-fourth of the deaths involving elderly people. Significantly more fires killing elderly people were caused by faulty or misused electrical items in the house, particularly electric blankets and heating devices.
- [Subscribe To Get The Latest Monthly Magazine](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/subscribe-to-get-the-latest-monthly-magazine-26/) - The December 2024 issue is out With a monthly subscription the Shocker brings you unfiltered views of reality and educational content from the world of crime, accidents, and forensics. Each magazine has about 50 pages of new and old content from the vault of the Shocker and is only in a digital download format.
- [Fatal boat propeller chop wounds of the trunk](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/fatal-boat-propeller-chop-wounds-of-the-trunk/) - Cuyahoga County, Ohio. This individual has suffered from a fatal boat propeller chop wounds of the trunk and lower extremity, the image is taken after cleanup and wound reconstruction. No further info about this case. Propeller wounds represent an example of patterned injury resulting from contact with watercraft. While the typical scenario involves injuries caused
- [Suicide in a cemetery](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/suicide-in-a-cemetery/) - Italy. A 62-years old man, with a depressive syndrome in pharmacological treatment, was found dead in the parking in front of a cemetery (where the wife was buried) of a small village near Milan, with his head under the hub of the anterior wheel of his car. On the anterior seat, next to the driver,
- [A man opened fire on bailiffs evicting him](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/a-man-opened-fire-on-bailiffs-evicting-him/) - USA. A 61-year-old man opened fire from his apartment door on bailiffs evicting him, he was fatally shot. Autopsy demonstrates 3 gunshot wounds (head, left arm, abdomen), 2 bullets recovered (head- unjacketed; torso- partial jacketing). No further info. Fig.1 The man died at the scene. Fig.2 The man opened fire from his apartment door. Latest
- [Bone abrasion due to the dragging force of a moving vehicle](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/bone-abrasion-due-to-the-dragging-force-of-a-moving-vehicle/) - A 30-year-old male pedestrian was involved in an accident with a truck. He became trapped in the front bumper of the truck and was dragged for around 100–150 meters (328-492 feet). At the scene of the crime blood-stains and pieces of flesh and body tissue were seen smearing the road up to that distance. At
- [Postmortem animal activity by a pet dog](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/postmortem-animal-activity-by-a-pet-dog/) - Germany. A 31-year-old man lived with his 71-year-old mother and his pet German Shepherd in a converted garden hut. The mother last talked to her son at about 6.45 p.m. in his room on the evening of his death. She then went into her room to watch TV, which she turned up very loud since
- [Decomposition after submersion in water](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/decomposition-after-submersion-in-water/) - If a body is placed in water containing a large amount of bacteria, such as that from sewage effluent, decomposition is accelerated. A body in water generally decomposes more slowly because of colder temperatures and lack of oxygen. Because the body has a greater specific gravity than water, it sinks initially. Prolonged submersion in water
- [15 Cases of helium suicides](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/15-cases-of-helium-suicides/) - Helium is one of inert gases causing physical asphyxiation, whose excess content in the breathing atmosphere reduces the partial pressure of oxygen and may be fatal after short-term exposure. When breathing a mixture of an inert gas (helium, nitrogen, argon) with a small amount of oxygen, with the possibility of exhaling carbon dioxide, no warning
- [Brush-burn type abrasion](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/brush-burn-type-abrasion/) - Brush-burn type abrasion on the left flank. One common type of blunt force injury is the so-called brush-burn abrasion. Brush-burn abrasions are broad, dried abrasions that often have a yellow-orange or orange-red coloration. These abrasions are caused by dragging or scraping the surface of the skin against a rugged surface; they are most often encountered
- [Blunt force trauma](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/blunt-force-trauma/) - Forensic autopsy of blunt force trauma. Two abraded lacerations on the forehead. Lacerations are a bursting of the skin or other tissues resulting from compression or stretching associated with impact by a blunt object or surface. The appearance of a blunt force injury is determined by several variables, including the impacting weapon or surface, the
- [Man killed by his own brother](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/man-killed-by-his-own-brother/) - Man killed by his own brother with throat cut and stabbing. One can notice that this was an overkill. Beside the cut throat, there was multiple stab wounds on the back of the neck and cut of the back of the neck mounting to separation of cervical vertebrae. The spinal cord was not cut. Fig.1
- [Monthly Magazine December 2024](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/monthly-magazine-december-2024/) - Click here to open the December magazine Other magazines Monthly Magazine May 2025 Herman the Shocker | Monthly Magazine | No Comments Click here to open the May magazine Other magazines Monthly Magazine April 2025 Herman the Shocker | Monthly Magazine | No Comments Click here to open the April magazine Other magazines Monthly Magazine
- [A man cuts his own neck](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/a-man-cuts-his-own-neck/) - Russia. At a local market, a man started cutting his neck and tried to remove his larynx, he then thrusted the knife through his neck with his palm. Cut throat is not the commonly preferred method for committing suicide. Homicidal cut throat injuries are more commonly found in others studies. The most important task for
- [Woman murdered with a scythe](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/woman-murdered-with-a-scythe/) - Russia. A woman was murdered with a scythe in her home. Homicide involving a scythe presents distinct forensic challenges due to its size, curvature, and sharpness. Scythes cause crescent-shaped, deep lacerations or chopping wounds, often resulting in extensive tissue and bone damage. Autopsy findings focus on wound characteristics—angle, depth, and pattern—to confirm the weapon used
- [Complete self-amputation of the scrotum and penis with scissors](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/complete-self-amputation-of-the-scrotum-and-penis-with-scissors/) - Self-mutilation thought by the police to be a bizarre homicide. The genitals have been amputated, the throat cut through 360°, the eyeballs punctured and the scalp stabbed many times, all with scissors. The dead man had paranoid delusions of a religious nature. Self-mutilations of the external genitals in psychiatric patients also known as Klingsor syndrome
- [Neck dissection in a 36-year-old woman](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/neck-dissection-in-a-36-year-old-woman/) - Postmortem hypostatic hemorrhages in a 36-year-old woman who died of multiple drug intoxication and was found in the prone position. Top fig: Left side of neck and face with extensive postmortem hypostasis (lividity). Bottom fig: Hypostatic hemorrhages in the subcutaneous tissues of the left side of the face. Awareness of the pitfalls and artifacts in
- [Decapitation by a train](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/decapitation-by-a-train/) - Railway injuries are not uncommon, especially in countries with many ‘level crossings’ (called ‘grade crossings’ in the USA), where a public road crosses a railway track with either no barrier at all or with only a flimsy lifting pole. Many vehicles are struck each year by passing locomotives. Few rail passengers are killed or injured
- [Gunshot wound in the right temple](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/gunshot-wound-in-the-right-temple/) - This individual died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound in the right temple. The impression of the muzzle print can be seen, and a comparison picture of the weapon. Fig.1 Gunshot wound in the right temple. Suicide prevention If you are experiencing a suicidal or mental health crisis or are concerned for someone else, contact your
- [Subscribe To Get The Latest Monthly Magazine](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/subscribe-to-get-the-latest-monthly-magazine-25/) - The November 2024 issue is out With a monthly subscription the Shocker brings you unfiltered views of reality and educational content from the world of crime, accidents, and forensics. Each magazine has about 50 pages of new and old content from the vault of the Shocker and is only in a digital download format.
- [2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami victims](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/2004-indian-ocean-earthquake-and-tsunami-victims/) - On 26 December 2004, at 07:58:53 local time, a major earthquake with a magnitude of 9.2–9.3 Mw struck with an epicenter off the west coast of northern Sumatra, Indonesia. The undersea megathrust earthquake, known by the scientific community as the Sumatra–Andaman earthquake, was caused by a rupture along the fault between the Burma Plate and the Indian Plate, and reached a Mercalli intensity up to IX in some areas. Fig.1 Fig.2
- [Laceration of the forehead](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/laceration-of-the-forehead/) - Laceration of the forehead with surrounding bruising. The wound is stellate as a result of crushing against the underlying bone. The victim fell down stairs and sustained a fracture of CVII and died of a spinal cord injury. Fig.1 The victim fell down stairs and sustained a fracture of CVII and died of a spinal
- [New York City hotel room autoerotic asphyxiation death](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/new-york-city-hotel-room-autoerotic-asphyxiation-death/) - The victim was discovered in a New York City hotel room lying on the floor with his leg and hands bound in a hog-tied fashion. There was a ligature consisting of dress ties wrapped around his neck and joined with a bathrobe sash that was secured to his ankle, which he used to pull the
- [The mummified body of an absconder](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/the-mummified-body-of-an-absconder/) - The mummified body of an absconder from a mental hospital who was found a year later in a hay barn. The dry environment had inhibited wet decomposition. Mummification is likely to occur in temperate climates when the body is left undisturbed in a dry, warm place. These include closed rooms and cupboards, haylofts, attics and
- [Multiple homicidal lacerations of the forehead](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/multiple-homicidal-lacerations-of-the-forehead/) - Multiple homicidal lacerations of the forehead. The perpetrator finalized his act by squeezing toothpaste on the left eye. Homicidal lacerations are blunt-force injuries causing skin tearing, often irregular and associated with tissue bridging. Found on the head, neck, or limbs, they result from heavy objects like hammers or axes. Unlike incised wounds, their edges are
- [Florida man killed by exploding mech mod vape](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/florida-man-killed-by-exploding-mech-mod-vape/) - 2018 – St. Petersburg, Florida, US. A 38-year-old man was found dead and with burns to 80% of his body inside of his residence. The decedent was found lying on the bedroom floor, with flames partially covering the room. After firefighters removed him from his residence, he was pronounced dead in the front yard. The
- [A lethal case of hoarding](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/a-lethal-case-of-hoarding/) - Italy – A 75-year-old woman affected by hoarding disorder was found dead in her apartment. The woman’s family had not seen or spoken to her for several days. Due to the concerns of her relatives Emergency Services were called to inspect the woman’s apartment. When the firemen arrived, they broke down the main door of
- [Adipocere formation after 2.5 years in a grave](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/adipocere-formation-after-2-5-years-in-a-grave/) - Advanced adipocere formation after 2.5 years in a grave. Exhumation due to exclusion of an accidental death (fall) in a bathtub. The rate of decay of bodies buried in earth is much slower than of those in either air or water. In fact the process of putrefaction may be arrested to a remarkable degree in
- [Man commits suicide by jumping off building](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/man-commits-suicide-by-jumping-off-building/) - Suicide by jumping from a building is not uncommon, and it is a method that has been used by some individuals seeking to end their lives. However, the prevalence can vary based on geographic location, cultural factors, and other variables. It’s essential to approach discussions about suicide with sensitivity and to recognize the serious and
- [Man beaten up and his throat cut](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/man-beaten-up-and-his-throat-cut/) - Russia. This man was beaten up and his throat cut. No further info. Cut throats can be homicidal, suicidal or accidental. Homicidal cut-throats are a well-recognized method of killing while suicidal cut throats are less commonly reported and accidental cut throats are rare. Fig.1 Fig.2 Latest posts Man driving a Chevrolet Corvette decapitated Herman the
- [Cut throat death](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/cut-throat-death/) - This individual bled to death after a cut throat injury. Cut-throat deaths involve deep incisions or lacerations across the throat, typically severing vital structures such as the carotid arteries, jugular veins, and trachea. Forensically, the nature, depth, and direction of the wound can help differentiate between homicide, suicide, or accident. In suicides, cuts often start
- [Putrefactive blisters and skin slippage](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/putrefactive-blisters-and-skin-slippage/) - Formation of putrefactive blisters and detachment of the upper layers of the skin in a decomposing individual. Decomposition, or putrefaction, is a combination of two processes: autolysis and bacterial action. Autolysis is the breakdown of cells and organs through an aseptic chemical process caused by intracellular enzymes. Because it is a chemical process, it is
- [Homicide staged as a suicide](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/homicide-staged-as-a-suicide-2/) - USA. The victim’s body was discovered after a neighbor became suspicious about the manner in which the young man’s car was parked at his trailer home. The neighbor had noticed the car on Tuesday but did not become concerned until Wednesday morning when he noticed that the car was still parked in the same location.
- [Gunshot wound on the side of the head](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/gunshot-wound-on-the-side-of-the-head/) - This individual has a contact-range gunshot wound on the side of the head. No further info. In contact gunshot wounds with bony tissue underlying the injury, the injuries are typically called a stellate wound, where the gases exit the barrel before the projectile. As a result, the gas collides with the bone tissue, resulting in
- [Protrusion of the tongue with dark discoloration](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/protrusion-of-the-tongue-with-dark-discoloration/) - Autopsy photograph featuring protrusion with dark discoloration of the tongue due to postmortem drying, in a case of suicidal hanging. No further info. The tongue protrusion is a common finding in some deaths for asphyxiation (e.g., hanging, incomplete strangulation), and the compression of neck tissues and vessels is considered the cause of the phenomenon. The
- [A cadaver at an Australian body farm](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/a-cadaver-at-an-australian-body-farm/) - Image of a cadaver at a body farm in Australia. The body farm is the Australian Facility for Taphonomic Experimental Research (AFTER), which was set up to investigate human decomposition under a variety of conditions to replicate crime scene scenarios. It lies in a secret bushland location on the outskirts of Sydney. Fig.1 The cadaver
- [Monthly Magazine November 2024](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/monthly-magazine-november-2024/) - Click here to open the November magazine Other magazines Monthly Magazine May 2025 Herman the Shocker | Monthly Magazine | No Comments Click here to open the May magazine Other magazines Monthly Magazine April 2025 Herman the Shocker | Monthly Magazine | No Comments Click here to open the April magazine Other magazines Monthly Magazine
- [Adipocere formation in remains recovered from a moist environment](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/adipocere-formation-in-remains-recovered-from-a-moist-environment/) - The image shows adipocere on the remains of an individual recovered from moist environment. Adipocere, also known as corpse wax, grave wax or mortuary wax, is a wax-like organic substance formed by the anaerobic bacterial hydrolysis of fat in tissue, such as body fat in corpses. Adipocere formation may occur in wet or immersed bodies.
- [Forensic dental identification](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/forensic-dental-identification/) - Forensic dental identification is a method used in forensic science to identify deceased individuals through dental records. Teeth are durable and can withstand extreme conditions, making them reliable for identifying victims in cases of fire, decomposition, or disasters. Forensic odontologists compare antemortem (before death) dental records, like X-rays, with postmortem findings to match unique dental
- [Suicidal cuts using a box cutter](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/suicidal-cuts-using-a-box-cutter/) - The finding illustrated is a group of sharp force injuries (incisions) that are self-inflicted, as evidenced by the anterior location of the incisions and the presence of hesitation marks on the antecubital fossa, forearm, and wrist. Fig.1 Suicidal cuts using a box cutter. Suicide prevention If you are experiencing a suicidal or mental health crisis
- [Mechanical asphyxia](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/mechanical-asphyxia/) - The orientation of the decedent with the tire of the motor vehicle apparently compressing the midsection and with the corresponding vascular changes (congestion versus petechiae) support a scenario in which there was hampered venous return to the heart. As this would lead to impaired respiration, this is considered a form of mechanical asphyxia. Fig.1 Mechanical
- [Three people killed by a black bear](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/three-people-killed-by-a-black-bear/) - China, 2020. A 47-year-old woman and her 7-year-old son were attacked by a black bear while walking through the mountain trail in the village. The woman was killed, and the boy escaped and called for help along the way. A 55-year-old male relative went to the mountains to look for the woman after hearing the
- [High-velocity gunshot wound](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/high-velocity-gunshot-wound/) - Colombia. This decomposing individual has a high-velocity gunshot wound. The entrance wound is under his right ear and the exit wound is on the left neck and face. Decomposition and skin slippage can be seen. Fig.1 High-velocity gunshot wound. Fig.2 Exit wound. Latest posts Man driving a Chevrolet Corvette decapitated Herman the Shocker | Accident
- [Postmortem dog feeding around the anus](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/postmortem-dog-feeding-around-the-anus/) - Note the fixed anterior lividity. The decedent was lying prone on a bed with a wrinkled comforter. Postmortem dog feeding occurred around the anus. Autopsy revealed the absence of large portions of intestines. This case was first suspicious for homicidal violence. Large amounts of blood had drained from the body to the bedding, which was
- [Homicidal throat cut](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/homicidal-throat-cut/) - Spain. The throat of this elderly woman was cut in a homicide. A homicidal throat cut refers to a deliberate act of cutting the throat in a manner intended to cause death. This is a form of sharp-force trauma typically seen in homicides, though it can also occur in suicides or accidents. In homicides, the
- [Fatal contusions with a blunt object](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/fatal-contusions-with-a-blunt-object/) - Spain. This individual suffered multiple and violent contusions with a blunt object, which caused facial injuries and fractures in the facial mass and skull, with consequent brain hemorrhage, from which he died. Fig.1 Fatal contusions with a blunt object. Latest posts Man driving a Chevrolet Corvette decapitated Herman the Shocker | Accident | No Comments
- [Firearm discharged into the mouth](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/firearm-discharged-into-the-mouth/) - Note the tissue tears extending from the sides of the mouth. These tears result from the large amount of gases exiting the end of the barrel at high pressures. The discharge of a weapon involves the release not only of a projectile but of hot gas under high pressure as well. If the lips are
- [Contact gunshot wound](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/contact-gunshot-wound/) - Contact gunshot wound with .410-gauge derringer. Only the lower barrel has been fired. After reapproximating the gas pressure-induced marginal lacerations, a side-by-side comparison reveals the shape of the barrels and sight on the skin. Fig.1 Contact gunshot wound. Latest posts Man driving a Chevrolet Corvette decapitated Herman the Shocker | Accident | No Comments US
- [Patterned livor mortis](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/patterned-livor-mortis/) - Livor mortis or lividity is the gravitational pooling of blood in the dependent parts of the body, both externally in the skin capillaries and venules but also in the internal organs. … Lividity may not be seen in bodies that are very anemic at death. Fig.1 This individual was lying on an “egg crate” foam
- [Shotgun shell characteristic individual satellite injuries](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/shotgun-shell-characteristic-individual-satellite-injuries/) - Shotgun shells contain multiple small “BBs,” called shot. As the shot comes out of the barrel of the gun, it stays together for several feet, and then starts to separate. As individual shot break up and hit the skin, characteristic individual satellite shot injuries can be seen around the main hole. Fig.1 Shotgun shell characteristic
- [A mother and her daughter viciously stabbed, disemboweled, and mutilated by the Werewolf Butcher](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/a-mother-and-her-daughter-viciously-stabbed-disemboweled-and-mutilated-by-the-werewolf-butcher/) - April 1995 – East Wenatchee, WA, USA. A young woman discovered the bodies of her mother and sister. She had become concerned when she couldn’t get an answer from their telephone. She decided to go to her mother’s residence to check on them. She discovered her mother and her sister dead in the home. Both
- [Woman sexually assaulted and eviscerated](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/woman-sexually-assaulted-and-eviscerated/) - Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, US. On November 3 1998, a man and a woman encountered a gunman on the front porch the two shared with their neighbors. The man was shot and killed and his fiancée was left for dead. The woman called 911 after hearing the gunman flee in a vehicle. The police responded and found
- [The victims of serial killer George Waterfield Russell Jr.](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/the-victims-of-serial-killer-george-waterfield-russell-jr/) - A series of murders occurred in Washington State in 1990. The murders began in Bellevue, Washington, in June and ended within King County in September. Initially, authorities were not aware of the linkage of these cases, due to a delay in the analysis of pubic hair evidence retrieved from the first two crime scenes. In
- [The killing cousins](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/the-killing-cousins/) - Indian River County, Florida, US. On July 26, 1983, David Alan Gore and his cousin, Fred Waterfield, were driving toward Wabasso Beach, Florida, when they spotted two teenage girls hitchhiking. 17-year-old Lynn Elliott and 14-year-old Regan Martin were trying to get a ride from their hometown of Vero Beach to Wabasso Beach. The cousins pulled
- [The lust murder of 20-year-old Keri Lynn](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/the-lust-murder-of-20-year-old-keri-lynn/) - October 1998 – Bellingham, Washington, US. 20-year-old Keri Lynn was visiting relatives in Bellingham, Washington, and she had gone on a day outing to a city park near Mt. Baker. However, she never came home. Her friends described Keri Lynn as an innocent, trusting, and carefree young woman who was “free-spirited.” She had never been
- [Three women were sexually assaulted and killed in Yonkers, New York](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/three-women-were-sexually-assaulted-and-killed-in-yonkers-new-york/) - Between 1989 and 1996 three women were sexually assaulted, strangled, and killed in Yonkers, New York, by an unknown serial killer. On February 5, 1989, the nude body of 25-year-old Maria was found sexually displayed in an industrial area by the Hudson River on the west end of the city. On March 28, 1991, the
- [The Route 40 Killer](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/the-route-40-killer/) - In the late 1980s, young women were being stalked along Route 40 in Delaware by a man who turned the corridor into his hunting grounds. The murders began on Nov. 29, 1987, with the discovery of a partially naked woman at a construction site. Seven months later, another woman’s body with similar signs of torture,
- [The Times Square Ripper](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/the-times-square-ripper/) - Staff at the Travel Lodge Motor Inn in New York City, New York, made a call to the nearby fire department on December 2, 1979, at around 9 a.m. The call was made as a result of the personnel discovering significant smoke inside Room 417. A “Do Not Disturb” sign was hanging from the door
- [Man murders and dismembers his wife](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/man-murders-and-dismembers-his-wife/) - Khabarovsk, Russia – May 11 2019. A domestic quarrel occurred between a man and a woman. The man could not control his emotions and strangled his 47-year-old partner. Wanting to hide traces of the crime the man dismembered the body and planned to hide it in the future. However, these insidious plans could not be
- [Marbling and skin slippage](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/marbling-and-skin-slippage/) - Marbling is a common finding usually found after at least 24 h since death occurred and is a red, green, and black discoloration that follows the vessels of the body due to the breakdown of hemoglobin. Marbling occurs when certain types of bacteria found in the abdomen “migrate” to the blood vessels, causing them to
- [Decomposing individual](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/decomposing-individual/) - This individual is showing decomposition changes. Decomposition, or putrefaction, is a combination of two processes: autolysis and bacterial action. Autolysis is the breakdown of cells and organs through an aseptic chemical process caused by intracellular enzymes. Because it is a chemical process, it is accelerated by heat, slowed by cold, and stopped by freezing. Bacterial
- [Decomposing suicide victim](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/decomposing-suicide-victim/) - This individual committed suicide by hanging. When the body was found it was in an advanced state of decomposition. Putrefaction begins immediately upon death and usually becomes noticeable within 24 hours. As soon as death occurs, the bacteria or microorganisms within the intestinal tract escape from the bowel into the other tissues of the body.
- [Man kills two women and commits suicide](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/man-kills-two-women-and-commits-suicide/) - Turkey. On October 4, 2024, Istanbul was shaken by a horrific incident where 19-year-old Semih Çelik brutally murdered two women within half an hour before taking his own life. The victims of violence against women, Ayşenur Halil and İkbal Uzuner, both 19 years old, were killed in the Eyüpsultan and Fatih districts, respectively. Fig.1 Çelik
- [Postmortem animal activity on a suicide victim](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/postmortem-animal-activity-on-a-suicide-victim/) - This individual committed suicide by hanging. Postmortem animal activity can be seen on the ear and chin of the deceased. A broad range of carnivores can be involved in the postmortem destruction of corpses located in open spaces or indoors (e.g. wild animals such as foxes and big cats or domestic animals such as dogs
- [A victim of an explosion](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/a-victim-of-an-explosion/) - This individual was a victim of an explosion, with severe destruction in the thorax and abdomen due to a combination of both primary, secondary, and tertiary injury mechanisms, blunt trauma in the lower limbs. Fig.1 A victim of an explosion. Latest posts Man driving a Chevrolet Corvette decapitated Herman the Shocker | Accident | No
- [Subscribe To Get The Latest Monthly Magazine](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/subscribe-to-get-the-latest-monthly-magazine-24/) - The October 2024 issue is out With a monthly subscription the Shocker brings you unfiltered views of reality and educational content from the world of crime, accidents, and forensics. Each magazine has about 50 pages of new and old content from the vault of the Shocker and is only in a digital download format.
- [Woman stabbed in a homicide](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/woman-stabbed-in-a-homicide/) - Spain. A woman who died as a result of stab wounds in a homicide. The injuries were multiple wounds to the neck and upper thoracic region. Fig.1 Woman stabbed in a homicide. Fig.2 Woman stabbed in a homicide. Latest posts Man driving a Chevrolet Corvette decapitated Herman the Shocker | Accident | No Comments US
- [Man struck multiple times in the face with a metal pipe](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/man-struck-multiple-times-in-the-face-with-a-metal-pipe/) - Colombia. This individual was fatally struck multiple times in the face with a metal pipe, the lesions clearly show a circumferential pattern. Fig.1 Man struck multiple times in the face with a metal pipe. Latest posts Man driving a Chevrolet Corvette decapitated Herman the Shocker | Accident | No Comments US - 28 July 2005.
- [Decomposing body](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/decomposing-body/) - Putrefaction begins immediately upon death and usually becomes noticeable within 24 hours. As soon as death occurs, the bacteria or microorganisms within the intestinal tract escape from the bowel into the other tissues of the body. As they grow, they begin to produce gases and other properties that distort and discolor the tissues of the
- [Postmortem animal scavenging](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/postmortem-animal-scavenging-2/) - The phenomenon of postmortem animal interference with human bodies or their remains is a substantial part of the taphonomic processes a body undergoes after death and animal depredation occurring after death is routinely encountered in forensic pathology. Postmortem injuries can be inflicted by all kinds of animals, irrespective of their size or environmental origin, whether
- [Monthly Magazine October 2024](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/monthly-magazine-october-2024/) - Click here to open the October magazine Other magazines Monthly Magazine May 2025 Herman the Shocker | Monthly Magazine | No Comments Click here to open the May magazine Other magazines Monthly Magazine April 2025 Herman the Shocker | Monthly Magazine | No Comments Click here to open the April magazine Other magazines Monthly Magazine
- [Fatal injury after a shell explosion](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/fatal-injury-after-a-shell-explosion/) - Fatal injury on the side of the neck and jaw after a shell explosion, no further info. A shell, in a military context, is a projectile whose payload contains an explosive, incendiary, or other chemical filling. Originally it was called a bombshell, but “shell” has come to be unambiguous in a military context. Modern usage
- [Suicide with a shotgun to the head](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/suicide-with-a-shotgun-to-the-head/) - This individual committed suicide with a shotgun blast to the head. The head is the most common location for a suicidal shotgun wound (74%), followed by the chest (20%) and then the abdomen (6%). In head wounds, the most common location was intraoral (50%), followed by under the chin (19%); side of head, including parietal
- [Man found decomposing in his home](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/man-found-decomposing-in-his-home/) - This individual was found lying on his left side with a mild to moderate degree of putrefaction. note the puddle of purged fluid underneath his upper trunk and head. Also note the greater decomposition with green discoloration in the regions of dependent lividity where the body contacted the warm floor. purged fluid such as this
- [Under the chin gunshot suicide](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/under-the-chin-gunshot-suicide/) - This individual has committed an under the chin suicide with a gun. The head is the most common location for a suicidal shotgun wound (74%), followed by the chest (20%) and then the abdomen (6%). In head wounds, the most common location was intraoral (50%), followed by under the chin (19%); side of head, including
- [Air India Express Flight 812 crash victim](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/air-india-express-flight-812-crash-victim/) - India. On the 22nd of May 2010, a Boeing 737-800 aircraft crashed at the Mangalore International Airport killing all but 8 of the 166 people on board. Most of the bodies were charred beyond recognition. Air India Express Flight 812 was a scheduled international flight from Dubai to Mangalore. The captain had continued an unstabilised
- [Body found in water](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/body-found-in-water/) - Toronto, Canada. Body found in water in an early stage of putrefaction with extensive wrinkling of feet and hands. Under water, there are common patterns of swelling during putrefaction where hands and feet and the outer layer of skin separates from the underlying tissues after approximately five to six days in temperate water. Fig.1 Body
- [Postmortem injuries made by rodents](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/postmortem-injuries-made-by-rodents-2/) - Postmortem scavenging is common among wild and domestic rodents; they are well known to alter or destroy the indicators of the cause of death and preclude the visual identification of the victim. Rodents tend to gnaw on bone, to wear down on their incisors, leaving telltale sets of parallel striations on the osseous cortex. Postmortem
- [Young woman commits suicide due to COVID-19 lockdown](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/young-woman-commits-suicide-due-to-covid-19-lockdown/) - Italy. A 19-year-old woman suffering from anorexia and depression (not pharmacologically treated) had experienced further exacerbation of her symptoms during the COVID-19 lockdown. The body of the young woman was discovered impaled with her head and right forearm on the spikes of the apartment building’s railing, suspended in midair. Shortly after the discovery, police officers,
- [Lacerations with abrasions along the wound margins](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/lacerations-with-abrasions-along-the-wound-margins/) - A laceration is a type of wound caused by the tearing or splitting of skin, which can occur due to a variety of reasons such as accidents, falls, or sharp objects. When a laceration occurs, it can often be accompanied by an abrasion, which is a superficial wound that affects only the top layer of
- [Stellate gunshot wound](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/stellate-gunshot-wound-2/) - Irregular, stellate appearance with a central defect surrounded by radiating lacerations. In contact gunshot wounds with bony tissue underlying the injury, the injuries are typically called a stellate wound, where the gases exit the barrel before the projectile. As a result, the gas collides with the bone tissue, resulting in the reflection of the gases.
- [A man hit on a zebra crossing](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/a-man-hit-on-a-zebra-crossing/) - A man hit on a zebra crossing by a heavy truck (44tons). The body is under one of the truck middle wheels. The driver was under the influence of cannabis. Different drugs impair people differently. Any illegal drug may cause the following reactions: slowing of reaction time, alteration of depth perception, reduction of peripheral vision,
- [Shotgun suicide](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/shotgun-suicide-4/) - US. Shotgun suicide, c.a. 1940’s, colorized. No further info. In the head, neck, and limbs, shotgun exit wounds can be ragged and very large, with extensive tissue damage. In a suicide where the gun has been placed in the mouth, there will be significant disruption of the head, and brain may be expelled, the so-called
- [Psychiatric patient jumped off a building](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/psychiatric-patient-jumped-off-a-building/) - Scene of suicide. The victim was a 57-year-old psychiatric inpatient who had left her ward unnoticed and jumped from an outside stair­case of the hospital from a height of about 20 m (65 feet). Fig.1 The victim jumped from an outside stair­case of the hospital. Fig.2 The victim was a 57-year-old psychiatric inpatient. Suicide prevention
- [Perioral lacerations from an intraoral gunshot wound](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/perioral-lacerations-from-an-intraoral-gunshot-wound/) - Perioral lacerations from an intraoral gunshot wound blowback from a closed mouth. In this intraoral gunshot wound, note the tissue tears extending from the side of the mouth. These tears result from the large amount of gases exiting the end of the barrel at high pressures. In contrast to the head, contact shotgun wounds of
- [Woman commits suicide in a closet](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/woman-commits-suicide-in-a-closet/) - Chicago, Illinois, US. In this case, the female victim’s body was discovered by a relative who went to check on her welfare. The victim had a history of depression and there had been previous suicide attempts. The victim had been dead for some time. Lividity had set in. The victim was pronounced dead by EMS.
- [Elderly couple found dead at home](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/elderly-couple-found-dead-at-home/) - An elderly couple was found dead at home. The husband’s body was semiprone over the wife’s legs. The supine body of the wife was in obvious early putrefactive decomposition with bloating, marbling, discoloration, and blister formation. The husband’s body did not show evidence of decomposition. As the woman appeared to have died possibly 1 to
- [Postmortem animal scavenging on a soldier's corpse](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/postmortem-animal-scavenging-on-a-soldiers-corpse/) - This soldier died in the Ukraine-Russia war and his body was scavenged by animals postmortem. The phenomenon of postmortem animal interference with human bodies or their remains is a substantial part of the taphonomic processes a body undergoes after death and animal depredation occurring after death is routinely encountered in forensic pathology. Postmortem injuries can
- [Gunshot to the head in a suicide](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/gunshot-to-the-head-in-a-suicide/) - This individual committed suicide with a gunshot to the head. Head injuries from shotguns and high-powered rifles are typically quite devastating, often with extensive soft tissue destruction, skull fractures, and pulpifaction of the brain. Occasionally, the brain is largely expelled from the cranial vault and may be found near the body. Fig.1 Gunshot to the
- [Bloated anus](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/bloated-anus/) - The early bloating stage of decomposition is accompanied by drainage of red-brown purge fluid from the nose, mouth, and anus. The perineum may swell, the uterine cervix and vaginal wall may prolapse in women, and rectal mucosa may prolapse in men and women. The bloated anus may resemble female external genitalia. Fig.1 Bloated anus. Putrefaction
- [Protrusion of the tongue on this decomposing individual](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/protrusion-of-the-tongue-on-this-decomposing-individual/) - Note the bulging eyes, lips and face with protrusion of the tongue on this decomposing individual, all related to the decomposition process. No further info about this case. Decomposition, or putrefaction, is a combination of two processes: autolysis and bacterial action. Autolysis is the breakdown of cells and organs through an aseptic chemical process caused
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- [Decomposing body of a man in a bathtub](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/decomposing-body-of-a-man-in-a-bathtub/) - These photographs depict the body of a man in a bathtub, fully clothed and lying in the water. The cause of death was electrocution. A hair dryer was found in the tub. This event occurred indoors during the summer time. The body is in an advanced state of decomposition due to the extensive maggot activity.
- [Putrefaction with purge fluid forced out of the nose and mouth](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/putrefaction-with-purge-fluid-forced-out-of-the-nose-and-mouth/) - Putrefaction with “purging.” Note the red to brown fluid gurgling from the mouth and nose. This can sometimes be mistaken for an upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage. At the bloating stage, the microorganisms residing in the human gut begin to digest the tissues of the body, excreting gases that cause the torso and limbs to bloat, and
- [Man cuts his own neck](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/man-cuts-his-own-neck/) - This man committed suicide by cutting his own neck. No further info. Cut throat is not the commonly preferred method for committing suicide. Homicidal cut throat injuries are more commonly found in others studies. The most important task for forensic expert is to distinguish between suicidal and homicidal cut throat injuries. Therefore in crime scene
- [Man nearly decapitated](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/man-nearly-decapitated/) - Russia. This man was nearly decapitated. It is unknown if this was a homicide or an accident. Accidental decapitations are rare occurrences’ and their mention is rare in the medical literature. Accidental decapitations can also result from traffic accidents, or occupational accidents. Accidental decapitation can be the result of an explosion, car or industrial accident,
- [Chop wounds of the scalp](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/chop-wounds-of-the-scalp/) - Chop wounds of the scalp and skull from a hatchet. Chop injury represents a unique category of sharp force trauma, although, in reality, its characteristic features often have both blunt and sharp qualities; more accurately, then, chop injuries should be viewed at the intersection of both. Chop injuries are as unmistakable as they are fatal,
- [Fatal head injury from a boat propeller](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/fatal-head-injury-from-a-boat-propeller/) - Fatal head injury from a boat propeller. No further info. Often when discussing boat safety one aspect is overlooked. Boat propeller safety is something any boater needs to be aware of. 18% of boating fatalities are caused by propeller accidents. Because of hydrodynamic forces, a person in the water comes in contact with the boat’s
- [Postmortem bloating of a body](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/postmortem-bloating-of-a-body/) - Postmortem bloating of body may create a misleading picture of obesity. Bloody decomposition fluid oozing from mouth and nos­trils may be misinterpreted as antemortem bleeding due to trauma. Diffusion of hemolysed blood into tissues in areas of livor may be difficult to distinguish from genuine bruis­ing in decomposed bodies. Fissures or splits formed in the
- [Monthly Magazine September 2024](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/monthly-magazine-september-2024/) - Click here to open the September magazine Other magazines Monthly Magazine May 2025 Herman the Shocker | Monthly Magazine | No Comments Click here to open the May magazine Other magazines Monthly Magazine April 2025 Herman the Shocker | Monthly Magazine | No Comments Click here to open the April magazine Other magazines Monthly Magazine
- [A civilian was shot in the head during a protest](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/a-civilian-was-shot-in-the-head-during-a-protest/) - Mogok, Myanmar – 2021. Two protesters were shot and killed by regime troops during a demonstration on Saturday to welcome the anti-junta National Unity Government (NUG) in the Mandalay Region town of Mogok, according to local sources. Around 100 soldiers and police arrived at the scene in Aung Chanthar ward and opened fire on the
- [Close-range shotgun entrance wound](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/close-range-shotgun-entrance-wound/) - Seen here is a close-range shotgun entrance wound as evidenced by the slight scalloping of the wound edges and the angular abrasion on the surrounding skin caused by the shell case (wadding) petals. This combination of findings is most compatible with a distance of 3 feet. It should be noted that this is an estimate
- [Autoerotic asphyxia using ligature strangulation](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/autoerotic-asphyxia-using-ligature-strangulation/) - This individual died from autoerotic asphyxia using ligature strangulation. Note padding on ankles. Pornographic literature was positioned on bathroom floor. Autoerotic deaths involve a large variety of mechanisms and means to achieve sexual gratification. The most common practice is asphyxia, and most victims are young males. Other modalities include chest compressions, plastic bags covering the
- [A case of murder suicide](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/a-case-of-murder-suicide/) - Germany. In a case of extended suicide, a man killed his wife with a contact gunshot to the back of the head from a single-barreled 12-gauge “Baikal” shotgun loaded with a Brenneke shotgun slug. The woman was lying in the bed and her shattered head rested on blood-soaked pillows similar to a sleeping position. Multiple
- [Body in a state of mummification](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/body-in-a-state-of-mummification/) - Mummification occurs in hot, dry environments. The body dehydrates and bacterial proliferation may be minimal. The skin becomes dark, dried, and leathery. The process occurs readily in the fingers and toes in dry environments, regardless of the temperature. Most mummified bodies are found in the summer months or in hot, dry climates. Mummification can occur
- [Maggot infestation on skeletonized body](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/maggot-infestation-on-skeletonized-body/) - Maggots cause most of the body’s decomposition because the maggot will do the majority of the eating. Maggots have powerful proteolytic enzymes that aid the dissolution of tissues and facilitate penetration. The maggots are voracious and energetic, first exploring the natural passages, such as mouth and nostrils, then burrowing into the tissues. They secrete digestive
- [Train track suicide](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/train-track-suicide/) - Russia. This individual committed suicide by laying on train tracks, she then got decapitated from an arriving train. Rail suicide is deliberate self-harm resulting in death by means of a moving rail vehicle. The suicide occurs when an approaching train hits a suicidal pedestrian jumping onto, lying down on, or wandering or standing on the
- [Burned body of a young woman](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/burned-body-of-a-young-woman/) - Florida. The burned body of this young woman was recovered from the fire scene. She had fallen onto her back. The medical examiner was able to peel back the skin on the back of the body, which revealed a distinctive tattoo, which aided in her identification. Fig.1 The burned body of this young woman was
- [Female autoerotic asphyxiation death](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/female-autoerotic-asphyxiation-death/) - USA. This case involved a woman who was discovered in this position on her bed in her apartment. The original call was a report of a possible sexual assault. However, subsequent investigation revealed that the victim, who was into the bondage scene, had been experimenting with autoerotic activities. There were numerous sex toys and paraphernalia
- [Suicide with a .308 rifle](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/suicide-with-a-308-rifle/) - New York. These photos depict a close-up of the victim and the extensive damage inflicted by the high velocity blast. The victim committed suicide by placing the barrel of the .308 rifle into his mouth and pulling the trigger. Fig.1 The victim and the extensive damage inflicted by the high velocity blast. Fig.2 The victim
- [Fire scene homicide](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/fire-scene-homicide/) - Salt Lake City, Utah, USA. Firefighters had responded to a house fire and in the process of extinguishing the fire discovered the body of a badly burned female victim. Upon closer examination it was observed that the victim’s arms were bound behind her back. This case was a homicide where the perpetrator started the fire
- [Fatal stab-cut and incised wounds](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/fatal-stab-cut-and-incised-wounds/) - Russia. This woman has fatal stab-cut and incised wounds on the neck from her roommate. Stab-cut and incised wounds are types of sharp force injuries, typically caused by objects with a sharp edge, such as knives or other bladed weapons. Understanding the distinctions between these types of wounds is crucial in fields like forensic pathology,
- [Decomposed body found in a car](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/decomposed-body-found-in-a-car/) - This decedent was found in a car. Given the degree of decomposition, a protected sequestered source of DNA should be sought. DNA can still be found in sufficient quantities in the marrow of the femur for use in identification. Another source of DNA in decomposed bodies is the dental pulp in a tooth. In this
- [A void pattern within a bloodstained area](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/a-void-pattern-within-a-bloodstained-area/) - The Netherlands. A view of victim on floor prior to removal and a view of void area on floor after removal of victim. A void pattern, a form of alteration, is the absence of bloodstaining in an otherwise continuous bloodstained area. The void is a result of the presence of intervening objects or people. If
- [Body in a state of decomposition](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/body-in-a-state-of-decomposition/) - Decomposition, or putrefaction, is a combination of two processes: autolysis and bacterial action. Autolysis is the breakdown of cells and organs through an aseptic chemical process caused by intracellular enzymes. Because it is a chemical process, it is accelerated by heat, slowed by cold, and stopped by freezing. Bacterial action results in the conversion of
- [Man dies in a house fire](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/man-dies-in-a-house-fire/) - This individual died in his bedroom during a house fire, no further info. Nearly 4000 Americans die each year in house fires and over 2000 are severely injured. In only 3 1/2 minutes, the heat from a house fire can reach over 600°C (1100°F). Having a working smoke detector more than doubles one’s chances of
- [Subscribe To Get The Latest Monthly Magazine](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/subscribe-to-get-the-latest-monthly-magazine-22/) - The August 2024 issue is out With a monthly subscription the Shocker brings you unfiltered views of reality and educational content from the world of crime, accidents, and forensics. Each magazine has about 50 pages of new and old content from the vault of the Shocker and is only in a digital download format.
- [Fungal colonies growing on the face of a decomposing corpse](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/fungal-colonies-growing-on-the-face-of-a-decomposing-corpse-3/) - Although putrefaction is a mainly anaerobic bacterial reduction process, decomposition is dominated by aerobic microbiological processes that may create pungent, rotten odours originating from the metabolic products of oxida­tion. Decomposition is a dry, acidic process on an oxida­tive basis, which leads to the splitting off of acids (carbonic acid, phosphoric acid, sulphuric acid). At the
- [Gunshot wound to the face](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/gunshot-wound-to-the-face/) - This woman died from a gunshot wound to her face. Severe facial destruction is shown. Lacerations on the right frontal pole and areas of contusions. No further info. Fig.1 This woman died from a gunshot wound to her face. Fig.2 Facial lifting showing injuries. Latest posts Man driving a Chevrolet Corvette decapitated Herman the Shocker
- [Cross section of the body from a train suicide](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/cross-section-of-the-body-from-a-train-suicide/) - Spain. Cross section of the body from a train suicide. No further info. Fig.1 Cross section of the body from a train suicide. Suicide prevention If you are experiencing a suicidal or mental health crisis or are concerned for someone else, contact your local suicide prevention hotline.🇺🇸 US ☎︎ 988 or 1-800-273-TALK (8255)🇨🇦 CA ☎︎
- [Skull burst fracture from fall from height](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/skull-burst-fracture-from-fall-from-height/) - Spain. This individual fell from height and suffered multiple fatal fractures in the extremities; as well as skull burst fractures, with brain matter coming out. Fig.1 Skull burst fracture from fall from height. Fig.2 Skull burst fracture from fall from height. Latest posts Man driving a Chevrolet Corvette decapitated Herman the Shocker | Accident |
- [Muzzle stamp abrasion with blow back lacerations](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/muzzle-stamp-abrasion-with-blow-back-lacerations/) - Muzzle stamp abrasion with blow back lacerations. A muzzle imprint is a mark left on a person or object by the hot gases and particles expelled from the barrel of a firearm when it is fired. This imprint can sometimes be used to determine the proximity of the firearm to the person or object at
- [Greenish discoloration of trunk](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/greenish-discoloration-of-trunk/) - Putrefaction is the most absolute sign of death. Externally, the first sign of putrefaction (decomposition) is a greenish discoloration of right side of abdomen over right caecal area. Gradually the color spreads over the whole abdomen, thence on the chest and by this time a putrid odour becomes apparent. The contents of caecum are more
- [Monthly Magazine August 2024](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/monthly-magazine-august-2024/) - Click here to open the August magazine Other magazines Monthly Magazine May 2025 Herman the Shocker | Monthly Magazine | No Comments Click here to open the May magazine Other magazines Monthly Magazine April 2025 Herman the Shocker | Monthly Magazine | No Comments Click here to open the April magazine Other magazines Monthly Magazine
- [Accidental death by fire](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/accidental-death-by-fire/) - A fatal case of burns by flash fire which caused the death of a 41-year-old woman when she used an air-freshener spray in a kitchen. Burning with flash fire on the left side of the skull, face, neck, and shoulder. Fires in confined spaces such as a room can produce a phenomenon called a flashover,
- [Postmortem injuries made by rodents](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/postmortem-injuries-made-by-rodents/) - Postmortem scavenging is common among wild and domestic rodents; they are well known to alter or destroy the indicators of the cause of death and preclude the visual identification of the victim. Rodents tend to gnaw on bone, to wear down on their incisors, leaving telltale sets of parallel striations on the osseous cortex. Postmortem
- [Extensive disintegration of a body that has been run over by a train](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/extensive-disintegration-of-a-body-that-has-been-run-over-by-a-train/) - This individual has been run over by a train causing extensive disintegration of the body. Railway injuries are not uncommon, especially in countries with many ‘level crossings’ (called ‘grade crossings’ in the USA), where a public road crosses a railway track with either no barrier at all or with only a flimsy lifting pole. Many
- [The tragic death of an elderly couple at their home](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/the-tragic-death-of-an-elderly-couple-at-their-home/) - January 28, 2018 – Magelang, Indonesia. A relative of an elderly couple was checking in on them but no one answered the door or the phone, and foul smell was coming from the house. He got help from neighbours to break down the door and almost like a scene in a horror movie he discovered
- [Woman assaulted from behind with knife](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/woman-assaulted-from-behind-with-knife/) - The photograph demonstrates a classic sweeping incised wound created by an individual standing behind the decedent. It should be noted, however, that a similar wound may be created from an assailant in front of the decedent if the knife is held differently. So, such conclusions are best left to the investigative team. Fig.1 Woman assaulted
- [Entrance wound between eyes](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/entrance-wound-between-eyes/) - The police were called to a possible suicide. The only witness to the event stated that the deceased picked up a shotgun, placed it to his forehead, and pulled the trigger. The weapon was a Winchester M 1400 shotgun; the wound was a near-contact wound of the forehead. There was a heavy deposit of soot
- [Patterned abrasion on neck in autoerotic death](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/patterned-abrasion-on-neck-in-autoerotic-death/) - Patterned abrasion on neck associated with autoerotic hanging with belt, no further info. Autoerotic death refers to the accidental death of individuals of either sex due to failure of devices, or unexpected effects of materials, that were being used to enhance the sexual experience. Although asphyxia from hanging has been described most frequently, a wide
- [Stellate-shaped contact wound of the forehead](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/stellate-shaped-contact-wound-of-the-forehead-2/) - In contact gunshot wounds with bony tissue underlying the injury, the injuries are typically called a stellate wound, where the gases exit the barrel before the projectile. As a result, the gas collides with the bone tissue, resulting in the reflection of the gases. This gas causes the expansion of subcutaneous space and pressure, which
- [Worker crushed by a building under construction](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/worker-crushed-by-a-building-under-construction-2/) - Spain. This individual died after getting crushed by a building under construction. No further info. Fig.1 Worker crushed by a building under construction. Latest posts Man driving a Chevrolet Corvette decapitated Herman the Shocker | Accident | No Comments US - 28 July 2005. A Westchester County man died Thursday afternoon in a crash on
- [Putrified suicide victim](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/putrified-suicide-victim/) - Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Suicide victim found in mid- to late stages of putrefaction. The marbled green, red, and yellow blistering of the skin indicate at least a week has passed since the time of death. During the later stages of putrefaction, the entire body becomes bloated with the pressure of internal gas and eventually collapses,
- [Postmortem venous marbling](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/postmortem-venous-marbling/) - Postmortem venous marbling refers to the appearance of a marbled pattern on the skin caused by pooling of blood in veins after death. It is a characteristic feature of decomposition and can be used to estimate the time since death in forensic investigations. The pattern of venous marbling can change as decomposition progresses and is
- [Krönlein shot](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/kronlein-shot/) - Krönlein shot indicates a prolapse of an intact brain hemisphere or, more rarely, of both brain hemispheres in high-velocity missile injuries to the brain during close-range shooting. In cases of Krönlein shot, a gunshot wound to the skull with a high-velocity bullet, the skull is shattered by the temporary wound cavity and there is a
- [Gunshot wound with muzzle imprint](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/gunshot-wound-with-muzzle-imprint/) - A gunshot wound is an injury caused by a bullet or other projectile fired from a weapon, such as a firearm. A muzzle imprint is a mark left on a person or object by the hot gases and particles expelled from the barrel of a firearm when it is fired. This imprint can sometimes be
- [Mummified body](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/mummified-body/) - Mummification occurs in hot, dry environments. The body dehydrates and bacterial proliferation may be minimal. The skin becomes dark, dried, and leathery. The process occurs readily in the fingers and toes in dry environments, regardless of the temperature. Most mummified bodies are found in the summer months or in hot, dry climates. Mummification can occur
- [Mentally ill woman killed her mentally ill mother](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/mentally-ill-woman-killed-her-mentally-ill-mother/) - Russia. A mentally ill woman killed her mentally ill mother in their shared apartment. The daughter used a screwdriver and a metal scoop. No further info. Fig.1 Fig.2 Fig.3 Studies investigating the link between major mental disorders and homicide have shown that schizophrenia was associated with the highest rate of homicide. In contrast, mood and
- [Homeless man found dead in concrete shelter](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/homeless-man-found-dead-in-concrete-shelter/) - This homeless man was found dead inside a concrete shelter. The body showed. evidence of postmortem animal scavenging. No further info. The phenomenon of postmortem animal interference with human bodies or their remains is a substantial part of the taphonomic processes a body undergoes after death and animal depredation occurring after death is routinely encountered
- [Putrified body of a missing man](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/putrified-body-of-a-missing-man/) - Los Angeles, US. This individual had been missing for a month when his body was found. No further info. Putrefaction begins immediately upon death and usually becomes noticeable within 24 hours. As soon as death occurs, the bacteria or microorganisms within the intestinal tract escape from the bowel into the other tissues of the body.
- [Subscribe To Get The Latest Monthly Magazine](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/subscribe-to-get-the-latest-monthly-magazine-21/) - The July 2024 issue is out With a monthly subscription the Shocker brings you unfiltered views of reality and educational content from the world of crime, accidents, and forensics. Each magazine has about 50 pages of new and old content from the vault of the Shocker and is only in a digital download format.
- [Fungal colonies growing on the face of a decomposing corpse](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/fungal-colonies-growing-on-the-face-of-a-decomposing-corpse-2/) - Although putrefaction is a mainly anaerobic bacterial reduction process, decomposition is dominated by aerobic microbiological processes that may create pungent, rotten odours originating from the metabolic products of oxida­tion. Decomposition is a dry, acidic process on an oxida­tive basis, which leads to the splitting off of acids (carbonic acid, phosphoric acid, sulphuric acid). At the
- [Adipocere on a corpse](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/adipocere-on-a-corpse/) - Saponification is the process of the conversion of fatty tissue to adipocere. Saponification usually occurs in unoxygenated, alkaline, semimoist to wet environments, and is therefore more likely to occur in remains deposited in water. Saponification can also occur in remains from moist airtight crypts or burials and may be accelerated by bacteria. Adipocere, sometimes called
- [Crushing head injury](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/crushing-head-injury/) - This individual has a fatal crushing injury to his head, no further info. A crushing brain injury causes damage to the brain, blood vessels, and skull, each of which can be life-threatening: A skull fracture exposes the brain to further damage by robbing the brain of its protective case. Further, fragments of the skull may
- [Worker crushed by a building under construction](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/worker-crushed-by-a-building-under-construction/) - Spain. This individual died after getting crushed by a building under construction. No further info. Fig.1 Worker crushed by a building under construction. Latest posts Man driving a Chevrolet Corvette decapitated Herman the Shocker | Accident | No Comments US - 28 July 2005. A Westchester County man died Thursday afternoon in a crash on
- [Patterned abraded contusion](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/patterned-abraded-contusion/) - Patterned injury on the gluteal area of a victim who jumped from the 5th floor of a building, impacting against the large, patterned floor. The shape of the lesions resembles the pattern of the impacted surface. In the picture, a rectal thermometer to record the body temperature on the scene is also shown. Fig.1 Patterned
- [Gunshot wound tattooing](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/gunshot-wound-tattooing/) - Tattooing results fom close range discharge, with gunpowder particles being impregnated into the skin. The dispersion pattern and width may greatly assist in assessing the direction and/or distance of fire. Handgun injuries from an intermediate range (usually between approximately 10 and 50 cm, where some powder may still be deposited on the target/victim) often require
- [Carbonized corpse](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/carbonized-corpse/) - Carbonized corpse prepared for dental identification. Postmortem identification represents one of the great branches of study and research in forensic dentistry and medicine, considering that both sciences deal with a same material—the human body at different stages, such as ripped, lacerated, carbonized, macerated, putrefied, skeletonized—always with a single objective, that is to say, to establish
- [Monthly Magazine July 2024](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/monthly-magazine-july-2024/) - Click here to open the July magazine Other magazines Monthly Magazine May 2025 Herman the Shocker | Monthly Magazine | No Comments Click here to open the May magazine Other magazines Monthly Magazine April 2025 Herman the Shocker | Monthly Magazine | No Comments Click here to open the April magazine Other magazines Monthly Magazine
- [Body recovered from water](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/body-recovered-from-water/) - Typical postmortem changes combined with mud and debris as well as sloughing of the skin of the hands and feet are typical for bodies recovered from the water. Perhaps the most well-known external change that immersion in liquid has on the body is wrinkling of the skin, particularly involving the hands and feet. Traditionally this
- [Pugilistic attitude of a burned body](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/pugilistic-attitude-of-a-burned-body/) - Nassau County, New York. This photo depicts the position the body assumes as a result of intense heat and fire. The burned body assumes pugilistic attitude and what sometimes appears to be a boxer’s stance. This is a postmortem artifact resulting from the effects of heat on the muscle protein: denaturation and dehydration. The flexors
- [Bodies of missing couple found buried in a vegetable garden](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/bodies-of-missing-couple-found-buried-in-a-vegetable-garden/) - September, 2020 – Jacareí, Brazil. An elderly man identified as Benedito Moreira was arrested on Tuesday, September 22, 2020, after confessing in testimony to the Civil Police that he killed his own daughter, Marcela Bruni Moreira, and his son-in-law, Alexandre Moreira, both were 37 years old. The victims were found buried in a vegetable garden.
- [Stellate-shaped contact wound of the forehead](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/stellate-shaped-contact-wound-of-the-forehead/) - In contact gunshot wounds with bony tissue underlying the injury, the injuries are typically called a stellate wound, where the gases exit the barrel before the projectile. As a result, the gas collides with the bone tissue, resulting in the reflection of the gases. This gas causes the expansion of subcutaneous space and pressure, which
- [Victim of hemorrhaging peptic ulcer](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/victim-of-hemorrhaging-peptic-ulcer/) - Victim of hemorrhaging peptic ulcer found on the floor in his bathroom. Note the brown color of the blood on the floor. The victim vomited blood into his toilet prior to his death. Note the dark brown clumps of denatured blood referred to as “coffee ground emesis.” Peptic ulcers are open sores in your digestive
- [Ignition of a human body by a modest external source](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/ignition-of-a-human-body-by-a-modest-external-source/) - Switzerland. In October 2006, around 12 a.m., the Geneva Police Department police were informed that the body of an adult male was found dead at his home. He was a 55-year-old widower who lived alone with a dog. His daughter had not heard from her father for three days and had tried calling him on
- [Extensive destruction caused by an explosive device](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/extensive-destruction-caused-by-an-explosive-device/) - Spain. Extensive destruction caused by an explosive device. No further info. Fig.1 Extensive destruction caused by an explosive device. Latest posts Man driving a Chevrolet Corvette decapitated Herman the Shocker | Accident | No Comments US - 28 July 2005. A Westchester County man died Thursday afternoon in a crash on Route 287.… The Shocker
- [Man with a sexual fetish keeps his victim's penis, tongue, armpit, and ears](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/man-with-a-sexual-fetish-keeps-his-victims-penis-tongue-armpit-and-ears/) - Pontiac, Michigan. In a police interview, a man admitted to having gay tendencies at the age of seven. His first gay experience was in a state hospital at age 14 when another patient forced him to have anal sex with him. He stated that it scared him, but he liked it. He stated that he
- [Skin slippage](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/skin-slippage/) - Skin slippage is a part of the decomposition process when the top layers of skin become disconnected from layers below and can, therefore, “slip” off the body. Taking place relatively early in the process, it happens through a process when enzymes are released and cells holding layers of skin together start to rupture forming what
- [Complex suicide: Self-strangulation and plaster ingestion](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/complex-suicide-self-strangulation-and-plaster-ingestion/) - A recently deceased 48-year-old male was found supine, in a wooded area (Fig.1). There was a belt around his neck; with the hook of the buckle fastened into one of the belt eyelets. Next to the corpse was a torn-open bag with white powder, an empty water bottle, and a sausage jar containing a hardened,
- [Defleshing the head for visualization of skull injuries](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/defleshing-the-head-for-visualization-of-skull-injuries/) - When attempting to identify the remains of an unknown decomposed individual, it may be necessary to deflesh the skull. This man was assaulted by unknown means. He was found in a state of mild decomposition (Fig.1) which became more advanced by the next morning, even with refrigeration (Fig.2). At autopsy, epidural and subdural hematomas, as
- [Thermal charring](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/thermal-charring/) - Thermal charring (“fourth degree burns”). If an individual dies in a fire that continues to burn after death, their body will continue to burn. In such instances, the only thing the forensic pathologist can do is document the extent of the thermal injury they observe at the time of discovery, and otherwise focus on the
- [Patterned lacerations from a hammer](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/patterned-lacerations-from-a-hammer/) - Patterned lacerations from the claw end of a hammer. Claw hammers have the specific characteristic of having two distinct ends: one a flat head of variable form, the other bifurcated. So the use of this tool as a blunt instrument will cause varying injuries. Fig.1 Patterned lacerations from a hammer. A first injury composed of
- [Postmortem feeding from fish and crustaceans](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/postmortem-feeding-from-fish-and-crustaceans/) - Postmortem feeding from fish and crustaceans found on this body retrieved from the ocean. No further info. Bodies that are found in the sea will often be decomposed and injured by the action of waves against obstructions or by marine predators, and blood may be washed out of the wounds. These changes may complicate the
- [Piquerism](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/piquerism/) - Multiple stab wounds into the back consistent with piquerism in a case of sexual homicide. Piquerism (from the French piquer – “to prick”) is a sexual interest in penetrating the skin of another person with sharp objects (such as pins, razors, knives, etc.). Sometimes, this is serious enough to cause extreme injuries or even death.
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- [Occultist woman dismembers boyfriend after sex](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/occultist-woman-dismembers-boyfriend-after-sex/) - Russia – 2018. A 21-year-old Russian woman has been detained after confessing to dismembering the body of her boyfriend with whom she ‘practiced occultism and BDSM’. Anastasia Onegina is accused of killing her partner Dmitry Sinkevich, 24, a former policeman and Russian army soldier in the city of Oryol, west Russia. The student denies murder
- [Sailor Killed in Aircraft Carrier Freak Accident](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/sailor-killed-in-aircraft-carrier-freak-accident/) - A US sailor from Macomb County was killed when he was struck by the wing of a fighter jet taking off from an aircraft carrier. The fighter jet immediately returned to the carrier after the accident. Aviation Boatswain’s Mate 2nd Class of Clinton Township died Oct. 4 2008 aboard the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower. Robert
- [Woman hit by train](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/woman-hit-by-train/) - Frontal aspect of a train after collision with a 63-year-old woman who remained standing between the rails in an upright position in spite of warning signals. The back was penetrated by a hook so that the body was carried along until the train came to a standstill. Death was caused by blunt cranial trauma with
- [Suicide by carbon monoxide poisoning](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/suicide-by-carbon-monoxide-poisoning/) - Spain. This middle-aged man committed suicide by carbon monoxide poisoning, he connected the exhaust to a tube that lead into the car. He had been diagnosed with major depressive disorder and was experiencing both personal and professional difficulties. Fig.1 The state in which the individual was found. Patients with a major depressive disorder are the
- [Contact wound of the left breast](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/contact-wound-of-the-left-breast/) - Contact wound of the left breast from a double barrel 0.12 gauge shotgun with a muzzle impression from the non discharged barrel above. Shotguns are popular world wide and more of these weapons exist than the rifled types. With an increasing incidence and prevalence of gunshot wounds it is important for traumatologists to be familiar
- [Facial dissection](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/facial-dissection-2/) - Facial dissection. Facial fractures may not be visualized by radiologic imaging techniques. In this case it was important to document or exclude blunt facial trauma. Reflecting the face revealed a fracture of the mandibular ramus not related to the gunshot wound of the maxilla. Note also that the projectile (anterior and deep to the mandibular
- [Man crushed by garbage truck](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/man-crushed-by-garbage-truck/) - A garbage truck driver under the influence of drugs did not see his coworker behind him and reversed his truck over him and killing him. Most developed countries, including continental European countries, are concerned by the phenomenon of alcohol and drug abuse and its collateral effect, that is, driving under the influence of alcohol and
- [Monthly Magazine June 2024](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/monthly-magazine-june-2024/) - Click here to open the June magazine Other magazines Monthly Magazine May 2025 Herman the Shocker | Monthly Magazine | No Comments Click here to open the May magazine Other magazines Monthly Magazine April 2025 Herman the Shocker | Monthly Magazine | No Comments Click here to open the April magazine Other magazines Monthly Magazine
- [Circular saw cuts of the neck](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/circular-saw-cuts-of-the-neck/) - Circular saw cuts of the neck in a suicide, no further info. Accidental table saw injuries are common and approximately 30,000–40,000 injuries by table saw occur in the United States annually. Nearly half of all saw-related amputations are caused by table saws. Victims that commit suicide by table saw primarily target the neck. The mechanism
- [Cranial burst from a contact gunshot wound to the forehead](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/cranial-burst-from-a-contact-gunshot-wound-to-the-forehead/) - Cranial burst from a contact gunshot wound to the forehead. No further info. In the head, neck, and limbs, shotgun exit wounds can be ragged and very large, with extensive tissue damage. In a suicide where the gun has been placed in the mouth, there will be significant disruption of the head, and brain may
- [Man dead after playing with a .40 caliber handgun](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/man-dead-after-playing-with-a-40-caliber-handgun/) - 27-year-old man was playing with a .40 caliber handgun and accidentally shot himself in the head. No further info. Fig.1 Man dead after playing with a .40 caliber handgun. Fig.2 The gunshot wound. Latest posts Man driving a Chevrolet Corvette decapitated Herman the Shocker | Accident | No Comments US - 28 July 2005. A
- [Maxillary fractures caused by shotgun blast](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/maxillary-fractures-caused-by-shotgun-blast/) - Spain. Maxillary fractures caused by shotgun blast suicide with entrance via the oral cavity. No further info. In the head, neck, and limbs, shotgun exit wounds can be ragged and very large, with extensive tissue damage. In a suicide where the gun has been placed in the mouth, there will be significant disruption of the
- [Wasps drinking "death nectar" on a scavenged human limb](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/wasps-drinking-death-nectar-on-a-scavenged-human-limb/) - Various insects may take advantage of the nutritional factors a decomposing body has to offer whether through natural orifices or as a result of scavenging, hence the phrase “death nectar”. In the image, Yellowjackets (Vespula) are seen utilizing “death nectar” and meat/protein in addition to fly and larval activity on a scavenged human limb in
- [Detruncation after a fall from a height in rough terrain](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/detruncation-after-a-fall-from-a-height-in-rough-terrain/) - This individual fell from a height in rough terrain, and the body was cut in half from the fall. Detruncation (hemicorporectomy or truncal transection), which is complete separation of the trunk below the shoulders and above the hips. Fig.1 Detruncation after a fall from a height in rough terrain. It can be quite difficult to
- [Purging of putrefactive fluid from mouth and nostrils](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/purging-of-putrefactive-fluid-from-mouth-and-nostrils/) - This individual has greenish putrefaction skin discoloration and purging of putrefactive fluid from mouth and nostrils. During the natural decomposition process, lipids, proteins and carbohydrates are broken down into smaller molecules. These decomposition by-products are the major components in decomposition fluid. The decomposition process also causes the release of gases such as methane and hydrogen
- [A suicide that resulted in decapitation](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/a-suicide-that-resulted-in-decapitation/) - This is the case of a 41-year-old male with a two-year history of depressed mood, for which he had refused psychological treatment. He committed suicide that resulted in complete decapitation. Fig.1 A suicide that resulted in decapitation. Suicidal hanging is generally associated with soft-tissue injuries only, and osseous lesions of the cervical spine are very
- [The bloating stage](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/the-bloating-stage/) - Associated with putrefaction is the production of gases. These gases, primarily located in the abdomen, cause the body to become distended or bloat. This bloating can cause the affected areas of the body to expand dramatically. Over time the affected areas may rupture or the gas may subside naturally. Skin slippage, or the shedding of
- [Suicide by hanging](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/suicide-by-hanging-2/) - Spain. Suicide by hanging with two turns of the ligature and detail of the two furrows and jugular vein distention. Suicide by hanging is the intentional killing of oneself (suicide) via suspension from an anchor-point such as an overhead beam or hook, by a rope or cord or by jumping from a height with a
- [Subscribe To Get The Latest Monthly Magazine](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/subscribe-to-get-the-latest-monthly-magazine-19/) - The May 2024 issue is out With a monthly subscription the Shocker brings you unfiltered views of reality and educational content from the world of crime, accidents, and forensics. Each magazine has about 50 pages of new and old content from the vault of the Shocker and is only in a digital download format.
- [Metalhead decapitates his love crush](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/metalhead-decapitates-his-love-crush/) - Germany – February 20, 2008. 32-year-old Matthias Schoormann, AKA Troll, had played guitar in a black metal band from Leer, Germany known as Carpe Noctem (Seize the Night) from 1997 until the band parted ways in 2004. While his musical career may have been short-lived, Schoormann was determined to leave some sort of legacy for
- [Powder tattooing from intermediate range gunshot wound](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/powder-tattooing-from-intermediate-range-gunshot-wound/) - Powder tattooing is seen in this intermediate range gunshot wound. The actual entrance site is somewhat irregular, because the bullet can tumble in flight. Alternatively it may be termed as ‘stippling’ or ‘peppering’. These marks are due to semi-burnt or unburnt powder particles and again far more common with black powder than with modern propellants.
- [Fentanyl patch in mouth of dead woman](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/fentanyl-patch-in-mouth-of-dead-woman/) - USA. A 37-year-old woman was found dead on a sofa. Foam cone from nose and mouth. 100 ug/hr Fentanyl patch in her mouth, with pill residue in her stomach. Fentanyl at autopsy was 2.8 ng/ml, within the reported therapeutic range, plus therapeutic levels of Oxycodone and Diazepam. Fig.1 Foam cone from nose and mouth. Fig.2
- [Autoerotic death](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/autoerotic-death-1/) - C.a. 1995. This individual died during autoerotic activity, it is possible the individual was inhaling some chemical inside the plastic bag, to get a high for enhancing sexual sensation. Autoerotic practitioners often inhale aerosol propellants, chemicals, and gases to induce euphoric effects. Different props are commonly utilized to render the inhalation more efficient: masks, plastic
- [Blunt- and sharp-force trauma in a man fatally assaulted](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/blunt-and-sharp-force-trauma-in-a-man-fatally-assaulted/) - Australia. This middle aged adult male has blunt- and sharp-force trauma injuries to the head and neck after getting fatally assaulted by an unknown person in a park. There was no info about the perpetrator. There were a number of lacerations on multiple surfaces of the head including the face, predominantly on the left side.
- [Skull blown off in air conditioner compressor explosion death](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/skull-blown-off-in-air-conditioner-compressor-explosion-death/) - India. On a fateful day, a 27-year-old mechanic was fixing the compressor of a nonworking AC when there was an explosion. The blast was of such high intensity that a substantial part of his skull was blown off and the entire brain matter was spilling out from the cranial cavity. He died on the spot.
- [Monthly Magazine May 2024](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/monthly-magazine-may-2024/) - Click here to open the May magazine Other magazines Monthly Magazine May 2025 Herman the Shocker | Monthly Magazine | No Comments Click here to open the May magazine Other magazines Monthly Magazine April 2025 Herman the Shocker | Monthly Magazine | No Comments Click here to open the April magazine Other magazines Monthly Magazine
- [Couple murdered in their new Santa Barbara home](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/couple-murdered-in-their-new-santa-barbara-home/) - On May 2, 2009, at approximately 1:30 in the morning, attorneys Barbara Scharton and Daniel Lyons, were murdered by multiple gunshots in their home on Aurora Street, Santa Barbara, California. Daniel Lyons’ brother, Corey, was arrested the morning following the homicides and charged with their murders. Fig.1 Deceased Barbara Scharton on her bed as found;
- [Shotgun suicide](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/shotgun-suicide-3/) - This individual committed suicide using a shotgun, no further info. The head is the most common location for a suicidal shotgun wound (74%), followed by the chest (20%) and then the abdomen (6%). In head wounds, the most common location was intraoral (50%), followed by under the chin (19%); side of head, including parietal and
- [Scrotal enlargement from gas formation](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/scrotal-enlargement-from-gas-formation/) - There are five stages of decomposition, namely fresh, bloated, active decay, advanced decay, and skeletal stage. These stages may occur simultaneously in different parts of the same corpse, and it may be difficult for a forensic pathologist to label the state of the corpse with a single stage. Fig.1 Green-brown-red discoloration and skin slippage; scrotal
- [Nitrous oxide death](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/nitrous-oxide-death/) - Spain. There was no info if this was a suicide or an accident. Nitrous oxide is an inflammable gas that gives no smell or taste. It has a history of abuse as long as its clinical use, and deaths, although rare, have been reported. A 1979 study revealed that up to 20% of medical and
- [Gags used for suffocation](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/gags-used-for-suffocation/) - Spain. Homicide. Gagging is a form of asphyxia which results from forcing a gag such as rolled up cloth, paper etc. deep in to the mouth or oropharynx. As such asphyxia by gagging is rare in occurrence and usually seen in infants and children as homicidal act or in adults suffering from psychiatric disorder as
- [Multiple irregularly distributed deep stab wounds](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/multiple-irregularly-distributed-deep-stab-wounds/) - Multiple irregularly distributed deep stab wounds to the head and back: homicide by a perpetrator suffering from paranoid psychosis. No further info. In the case of death caused by stab wounds, diffusely distributed stab wounds are found particularly when resistance has been shown, often to body regions inaccessible to the victim’s own hands, such as
- [Compound fracture of the left tibia and fibula](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/compound-fracture-of-the-left-tibia-and-fibula/) - The forces necessary to cause skeletal fracture is usually significantly greater but may be dependent on the condition of the bones at the time of impact. Under normal circumstances, significant force is needed to cause fracture to bones such as the long bones of the arms and legs, pelvis, and skull. However, individuals who are
- [Autoerotic death from Whippits nitrous oxide cartridges](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/autoerotic-death-from-whippits-nitrous-oxide-cartridges/) - Lenexa, Kansas, US. Police were dispatched to an apartment complex at the request of a resident, who advised them that he had discovered his roommate on his bed dead, inside his locked bedroom. The deceased was lying unclothed in his bed, with a white plastic “kitchen-type” trash bag over his head. A portable DVD player
- [Animal predation by a dog](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/animal-predation-by-a-dog/) - Russia. This individual died at his home from thromboembolism, he was found a week later, during that time his dog consumed his face. The phenomenon of postmortem animal interference with human bodies or their remains is a substantial part of the taphonomic processes a body undergoes after death and animal depredation occurring after death is
- [Marbling](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/marbling/) - Marbling is a common finding usually found after at least 24 h since death occurred and is a red, green, and black discoloration that follows the vessels of the body due to the breakdown of hemoglobin. Marbling occurs when certain types of bacteria found in the abdomen “migrate” to the blood vessels, causing them to
- [Man covered in cheese found dead after autoerotic activity](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/man-covered-in-cheese-found-dead-after-autoerotic-activity/) - Germany. A 40-year-old man who lived alone was found deceased in his apartment on the 13th floor of a high-rise building. He was considered a loner. He was very reliable at work. When he did not come to work after the weekend and could not be reached by phone, the police was called and his
- [Contact gunshot wound from a shotgun slug](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/contact-gunshot-wound-from-a-shotgun-slug/) - Contact gunshot wound from a shotgun slug. The entrance wound can be seen under the chin and the outline of the barrel. No further info. The head is the most common location for a suicidal shotgun wound (74%), followed by the chest (20%) and then the abdomen (6%). In head wounds, the most common location
- [Subscribe To Get The Latest Monthly Magazine](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/subscribe-to-get-the-latest-monthly-magazine-18/) - The April 2024 issue is out With a monthly subscription the Shocker brings you unfiltered views of reality and educational content from the world of crime, accidents, and forensics. Each magazine has about 50 pages of new and old content from the vault of the Shocker and is only in a digital download format.
- [Woman decapitated by her husband](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/woman-decapitated-by-her-husband/) - A 41-year-old woman, from Lalitpur, Kathmandu, Nepal, who was decapitated by her husband in their bedroom. The victim was hit over the head with a hammer while she was sleeping and later dragged to the corner of the room and her head severed with a “khurpa”, which is a locally-made, harvesting sickle. All the internal
- [Under the chin suicide](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/under-the-chin-suicide/) - This individual committed suicide with a gunshot under the chin using a rifle also resulting in a complete evisceration of the brain. Burn and smoke marks can be seen around the wound. No further info. Fig.1 Under the chin suicide. Krönlein shot indicates a prolapse of an intact brain hemisphere or, more rarely, of both
- [Woman dies from traumatic asphyxia](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/woman-dies-from-traumatic-asphyxia/) - Italy. The victim was a 56-year-old woman whose body was found by the rescue team to be in the prone position and trapped inside an ottoman storage bed, which consisted of a mechanism that lifted the bed base and mattress to reveal a storage space beneath them. Fig.1 The body, which had been removed from
- [Paramilitary group kills two caretakers](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/paramilitary-group-kills-two-caretakers/) - An armed paramilitary group of about 30 men invaded the La Ceiba estate in sector Marimonda I, in the parish of San José, the Jesús Enrique Lossada municipality, state of Zulia in Venezuela. Apparently, they were looking for a specific person, but since they didn’t find him, they killed two caretakers who were present on
- [Natural death due to a ruptured aneurysm](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/natural-death-due-to-a-ruptured-aneurysm/) - USA. This apparent case of a sex slaying is actually a natural death due to a ruptured aneurysm. The deceased had been in bed with her married boyfriend when she suddenly passed out. He had placed her on the floor, tried to resuscitate her before attempting to redress her. He called 911 before quickly leaving
- [Monthly Magazine April 2024](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/monthly-magazine-april-2024/) - Click here to open the April magazine Other magazines Monthly Magazine May 2025 Herman the Shocker | Monthly Magazine | No Comments Click here to open the May magazine Other magazines Monthly Magazine April 2025 Herman the Shocker | Monthly Magazine | No Comments Click here to open the April magazine Other magazines Monthly Magazine
- [Contact gunshot wound with stellate blow back lacerations](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/contact-gunshot-wound-with-stellate-blow-back-lacerations/) - Contact gunshot wound with stellate blow back lacerations and singeing. In contact gunshot wounds with bony tissue underlying the injury, the injuries are typically called a stellate wound, where the gases exit the barrel before the projectile. As a result, the gas collides with the bone tissue, resulting in the reflection of the gases. This
- [Suicide of a 53-year-old woman](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/suicide-of-a-53-year-old-woman/) - Suicide of a 53-year-old woman who inflicted cuts to both sides of her neck and to the flexor sides of her forearms. As only minor vessels had been severed, the victim survived for a prolonged time and finally died from hypothermia due to the low outside temperature. The cuts were inflicted with a scalpel found
- [Explosive-induced trauma](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/explosive-induced-trauma/) - Explosive-induced trauma of the upper posterior part of the trunk with decapitation and gaping lacerations of the superior parts of both thoracic cavities in a suicidal-homicidal bombing victim who was located in the immediate vicinity to the epicenter of the explosive device consisting of TNT. Fig.1 Explosive-induced trauma. Latest posts Man driving a Chevrolet Corvette
- [The five stages of decomposition](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/the-five-stages-of-decomposition/) - Decomposition of a corpse is a continual process that can take from weeks to years, depending on the environment. It is a natural process involving the breakdown of tissues after death. To illustrate the process of decomposition I’ve created these cards with the five stages. Fig.1 The five stages of decomposition. Fresh Shortly following death,
- [Black putrefaction](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/black-putrefaction/) - Body in stages of black putrefaction. Black putrefaction is the stage where the exposed flesh blackens, and the internal organs and tissues take on a creamy consistency. The body then hastens toward fermentation and molding, referred to as butyric fermentation. This stage typically occurs after rigor mortis has passed, and the body begins to emit
- [Body recovered from the bank of a swamp](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/body-recovered-from-the-bank-of-a-swamp/) - The body of a 35-year-old woman was recovered from the bank of a swamp in the southeastern United States. The presence of gnaw marks on the amputated forearm bones and long strands of tissue consistent with large teeth marks, relate to alligator anthropophagy. Fig.1 Body recovered from the bank of a swamp. Latest posts Man
- [Woman jumps out of window](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/woman-jumps-out-of-window/) - Spain. A middle-aged woman suffering from major depressive disorder who jumped out of a fourth floor window in her home. No further info. Major depressive disorder (MDD) is the mental health diagnosis most commonly associated with suicide. Globally, more than 60% of individuals who have attempted suicide struggle with MDD. Moreover, patients with MDD have
- [Identification of a bomb victim](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/identification-of-a-bomb-victim/) - Identification may sometimes be challenging when the victim has severe injuries. This individual has facial injuries from a bomb explosion. Visual identification was not possible but since injury was absent to the mouth it was possible to perform a dental comparison and identify the individual. No further info. Fig.1 Identification of a bomb victim. In
- [Adipocere can occur in warm, wet environments](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/adipocere-can-occur-in-warm-wet-environments/) - Adipocere, also known as corpse wax, grave wax or mortuary wax, is a wax-like organic substance formed by the anaerobic bacterial hydrolysis of fat in tissue, such as body fat in corpses. Adipocere formation may occur in wet or immersed bodies. Adipocere is a yellow-brown, waxy material composed of long chain hydrocarbons such as oleic,
- [A woman murdered in her home](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/a-woman-murdered-in-her-home/) - A woman was found prone on the floor next to her bed with her nightgown displaced upward, exposing her naked buttocks and legs. Patches of blood were on the bed near the body, and the back of her nightgown was bloody. A screwdriver was on the carpet next to her face; photographs were taken of
- [Skeletonized corpse](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/skeletonized-corpse/) - Inspection of teeth in a skeletonized corpse. The teeth and dental restorations are the strongest elements in the human body and survive the destructive influences of fire and exposure to the elements. Methods to identify the deceased must be reliable and accurate. Fig.1 Skeletonized corpse. Latest posts Man driving a Chevrolet Corvette decapitated Herman the
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- [Mentally ill man killed his mentally ill mother](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/mentally-ill-man-killed-his-mentally-ill-mother/) - Russia. A mentally ill man killed his mentally ill mother. According to the son, the mother was possessed by demons, he “pinned the demons” with two pairs of scissors, driving them under the mother’s shoulder blades, and then “dramatically put an end to it” by gouging the mother’s head with a 16-kilogram dumbbell. He then
- [Gunshot wound from a .357 Magnum](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/gunshot-wound-from-a-357-magnum-2/) - Distant-range wounds of the right side of the face (from a .357 Magnum revolver). Irregular, cruciform, or stellate entrance wounds can occur in individuals shot at intermediate or distant range, where gas plays no role in the production of a wound. These occur when the bullet perforates the skin over a bony prominence or curved
- [Adipocere formation](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/adipocere-formation/) - Adipocere formation occurs by alteration of subcutaneous fat of a corpse into a grey-white lipid mixture. With time, it becomes a hard, brittle shell, which retards decomposition. The chemical processes of adipocere formation are largely understood, with the basic process resulting from the hydrolysis and hydrogenation of adipose fat. Extensive studies regarding its chemical composition
- [Man run over by a train](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/man-run-over-by-a-train/) - Spain. This 55-year-old male was run over by a train with the intention of committing suicide. His family recounted that the deceased had experienced a period of serious financial crisis. The picture indicates decapitation at the neck. The left upper limb was also severed. No further info. Fig.1 Man run over by a train. Suicide
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- [A pacemaker on a cadaver being dissected](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/a-pacemaker-on-a-cadaver-being-dissected/) - This cadaver is being dissected by medical students. A pacemaker can be seen on the chest. The modern cardiac pacemakers have a smooth external case, with the manufacturer’s data and serial numbers. Leads emerge from one point on the device and pass onwards to the heart. At autopsy, most cases have the generator unit (box)
- [Bloated body](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/bloated-body/) - Toronto, Canada. Body is bloated with increased internal gases heightened during mid-stages of putrifaction. Note the bagging of hands to preserve trace evidence. During the later stages of putrefaction, the entire body becomes bloated with the pressure of internal gas and eventually collapses, leaking what is called purge fluid. The hands are bagged to preserve
- [Man drove his car at speed into a bus](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/man-drove-his-car-at-speed-into-a-bus/) - Penetration of the wrist and chest by a wooden component of a bus seat. The victim drove his car at speed into a bus and part of the resulting debris penetrated his left ventricle. No further info. Fig.1 Man drove his car at speed into a bus. Latest posts Man driving a Chevrolet Corvette decapitated
- [Death by drowning at sea and skin peeling](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/death-by-drowning-at-sea-and-skin-peeling/) - If a body is placed in water containing a large amount of bacteria, such as that from sewage effluent, decomposition is accelerated. A body in water generally decomposes more slowly because of colder temperatures and lack of oxygen. Because the body has a greater specific gravity than water, it sinks initially. Prolonged submersion in water
- [Man cuts roommate up into thousands of pieces](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/man-cuts-roommate-up-into-thousands-of-pieces/) - 2012. The New York Police Department (NYPD) received a call informing them of a possible homicide. The informant described a new friend he had recently met who had a problematic roommate. During a recent phone conversation, the informant asked if his friend was still having problems with his roommate. The friend told the informant that
- [Hanging with mummified body](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/hanging-with-mummified-body-2/) - Spain. Mummification occurs in hot, dry environments. The body dehydrates and bacterial proliferation may be minimal. The skin becomes dark, dried, and leathery. The process occurs readily in the fingers and toes in dry environments, regardless of the temperature. Most mummified bodies are found in the summer months or in hot, dry climates. Mummification can
- [Multiple wounds to the scalp from a knife](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/multiple-wounds-to-the-scalp-from-a-knife/) - Spain. Homicide carried out by two attackers at the same time; one with a normal knife, and another with a machete. The former was used to inflict the wounds on the anterior chest wall; and the latter those of the face and skull, which were much larger. That said, the fatal injury was the one
- [Postmortem animal predation](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/postmortem-animal-predation-3/) - This individual has signs of postmortem (after death) animal scavenging around the mouth, made by a dog that spent several days locked up and hungry with its deceased owner. No further info. Postmortem animal predation is a substantial part of the taphonomic processes a body undergoes after death. While the occurrence and presentation of such
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- [Fatal chop injuries from a meat cleaver](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/fatal-chop-injuries-from-a-meat-cleaver/) - Germany. A young, initially unidentified female was found dead in public on a snowy winter day. She was found in a ditch next to the side of a road. Numerous severe injuries, partially involving smooth wound margins, were grouped on the head and both hands. During the scene investigation, accidental injuries (such as injuries caused
- [Advanced decomposition](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/advanced-decomposition/) - Advanced decomposition is characterized by an extremely bloated, greasy, and darkened body. This is the decomposed body of a Caucasian individual who was not very obese during life. Decomposition, or putrefaction, is a combination of two processes: autolysis and bacterial action. Autolysis is the breakdown of cells and organs through an aseptic chemical process caused
- [A large stellate contact entrance wound of the forehead](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/a-large-stellate-contact-entrance-wound-of-the-forehead/) - This individual committed suicide by gunshot wound of the forehead. A large stellate contact entrance wound of the forehead with internal soot deposition, lacerations, and muzzle sight impression mark at the top. Fig.1 This individual has a contact-range gunshot wound on the forehead. In contact gunshot wounds with bony tissue underlying the injury, the injuries
- [Fungal colonies growing on the face of a decomposing corpse](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/fungal-colonies-growing-on-the-face-of-a-decomposing-corpse/) - Although putrefaction is a mainly anaerobic bacterial reduction process, decomposition is dominated by aerobic microbiological processes that may create pungent, rotten odours originating from the metabolic products of oxida­tion. Decomposition is a dry, acidic process on an oxida­tive basis, which leads to the splitting off of acids (carbonic acid, phosphoric acid, sulphuric acid). At the
- [Near-complete skeletonization of face by maggot mass](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/near-complete-skeletonization-of-face-by-maggot-mass/) - Maggots are the larval form of flies. Flies lay their eggs in small and sometimes large bulky clusters on accessible unsubmerged areas, crevices, and cavities of the body, preferring moist areas such as the eyes, nostrils, scalp, lips, ear canals, and open wounds. Individually, these are tiny, round to ovoid, tan-white structures that resemble seeds
- [Extensive head destruction](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/extensive-head-destruction/) - This individual has an extensive destruction of the head, no further info about this case. Head trauma from a crushing brain injury is typically the most damaging and life-threatening variety of traumatic brain injury. Head trauma from a crushing brain injury, as the name implies, occurs when the brain and skull are crushed—usually between two
- [Postmortem changes associated with small fish](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/postmortem-changes-associated-with-small-fish/) - The individual in this photograph has postmortem changes associated with small fish that feed on soft tissue like eyes, lips, and fingers and gnaw the bone. No further info. Bodies that are found in the sea will often be decomposed and injured by the action of waves against obstructions or by marine predators, and blood
- [Postmortem animal activity](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/postmortem-animal-activity-2/) - Larger carnivore activity is common in rural and suburban areas. In many cases, there may be activity from several different animals in the same environment. In this case, the damage appears to mostly be from the canine family (likely wild) with evidence of tearing of the skin and ribs. There is no obvious vital reaction,
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- [Young couple jumped off a 12-story building](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/young-couple-jumped-off-a-12-story-building/) - Almaty, Kazakhstan – 29 May 2013. A young couple committed suicide together by jumping off a 12-story building. The body of the girl was torn in half after landing on a fence. Friends and family did not report any suicidal behavior. According to classmates the couple had been planning to commit suicide and were active
- [Postmortem animal scavenging](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/postmortem-animal-scavenging/) - Extensive traces of scavenging next to the body after it had been enclosed at home for an extended period of time. No further info. Defects caused by animal scavenging show no underlying hemorrhage. The shape of defect margins may provide information about the kind of animal, e.g., rodent. In some cases, damage or defects caused
- [Arterial patterns on walls and floor](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/arterial-patterns-on-walls-and-floor/) - Arterial patterns on wall and floor in conjunction with large accumulation of blood from victim with malfunctioning arterial venous shunt. There are cases where the victim has sustained arterial injury inflicted while down on a surface such as a bed, carpet, floor, or ground where the subsequent expelling of blood forms a pool or saturation
- [Bloated body found in a lake](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/bloated-body-found-in-a-lake/) - The body of a man was seen floating in a lake near the shore. Once the body was recovered, a number of important features were noted. Early putrefactive decomposition with bloating and slippage of the skin was evident. The body was fully clothed and all garments were in place and intact. A diver’s weight belt
- [Suicidal throat cut after breakup](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/suicidal-throat-cut-after-breakup/) - This 28-year-old man committed suicide by cutting his throat, he was feeling depressed after a breakup with his girlfriend. No further info. These injuries are usually superficial with multiple hesitation marks. Suicidal and homicidal injuries to the neck are mostly caused by sharp edge weapon. Suicide is one of the three leading causes of death
- [Postmortem face peel-down examination](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/postmortem-face-peel-down-examination/) - A postmortem face peel-down examination showing injury of and around the left eye with bleeding (hemorrhage). When injury to the face is suspected, special dissection is required with removal of the soft tissues of the face from the underlying skeleton. Here the face has been peeled downward, leaving the eyes in their sockets (orbits). Although
- [Stellate gunshot wound](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/stellate-gunshot-wound/) - Contact (entrance) gunshot wounds to the head often show large stellate defects, due to the explosive blast of the gases driven under the skin, with powder/soot blackening in the base of the wound. Contact gunshot wounds are of great significance in the forensic setting, most often implying intentional self- inflicted injury, although close physical struggle
- [Inmate stabbed by cellmate in the eyes with a piece of wood](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/inmate-stabbed-by-cellmate-in-the-eyes-with-a-piece-of-wood/) - Turkey. A 54-year-old male was found murdered in prison by his cellmate. Examination of the scene and the autopsy findings revealed that the victim was strangled with a nylon ligature, a piece of a wooden handle of broom was forced into his left eye and the nail of a cloth hanger was inserted into his
- [Overkill-type injuries](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/overkill-type-injuries/) - New York. This individual was murdered by his male partner. Note the increased level of violence and “overkill”-type injuries. In addition to the cutting, the offender stabbed his partner in the head with an ice pick and stabbed him in the neck with scissors. No further info. Fig.1 Overkill-type injuries. In the context of murder
- [Woman was found dead with 6 bullet holes](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/woman-was-found-dead-with-6-bullet-holes/) - This woman was found dead in bed, fully dressed. The upper front of her shirt was heavily blood-stained with around six bullet holes. The bullet holes in the shirt, bullet holes in the brassiere, and six gunshot wounds on the left side of the chest were associated with heavy soot deposition, consistent with contact gunshot
- [Subscribe To Get The Latest Monthly Magazine](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/subscribe-to-get-the-latest-monthly-magazine-15/) - The January 2024 issue is out With a monthly subscription the Shocker brings you unfiltered views of reality and educational content from the world of crime, accidents, and forensics. Each magazine has about 50 pages of new and old content from the vault of the Shocker and is only in a digital download format.
- [Animal scavenging on a murder victim](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/animal-scavenging-on-a-murder-victim/) - Mexico. A 42-year-old man was murdered and left out in the field. Animal scavenging had occurred to his face when the body was found. Postmortem animal predation is a substantial part of the taphonomic processes a body undergoes after death. While the occurrence and presentation of such injuries are well known to forensic pathologists, the
- [Clothing can slow down the decomposition process](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/clothing-can-slow-down-the-decomposition-process/) - This image is an example of how clothing can slow down the decomposition process. Note that the skin of the torso, which was covered with clothing, is reasonably intact compared to the advanced decompositional changes noted on the face and neck. Fig.1 Clothing can slow down the decomposition process. Latest posts Man driving a Chevrolet
- [Woman murdered with a baseball bat](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/woman-murdered-with-a-baseball-bat/) - USA. A woman’s roommate found her beaten to death on a mattress located on the floor of their living room in front of a couch in the apartment they shared. The roommate denied participation in the homicide. The victim had sustained severe blunt force injuries of the head. The location of impact spatter on the
- [Examination of a dismembered corpse](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/examination-of-a-dismembered-corpse/) - When deaths are violent, suspicious, sudden, and unexpected, a Medical Examiner performs a post-mortem examination. Medical examiners specialize in forensic knowledge and rely on this during their work. In addition to studying cadavers, they are also trained in toxicology, DNA technology and forensic serology (blood analysis). Pulling from each area of knowledge, a medical examiner
- [Mummified corpse](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/mummified-corpse/) - Mummification occurs in hot, dry environments. The body dehydrates and bacterial proliferation may be minimal. The skin becomes dark, dried, and leathery. The process occurs readily in the fingers and toes in dry environments, regardless of the temperature. Most mummified bodies are found in the summer months or in hot, dry climates. Mummification can occur
- [Suicidal cut of the throat by a chainsaw](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/suicidal-cut-of-the-throat-by-a-chainsaw/) - Germany. Suicidal cut of the throat by a chainsaw. No further info. Suicides involving the use of chainsaws are comparatively rare, and the neck is predominantly affected. Chainsaws have been used for homicides and dismemberment. Chainsaw injuries typically show a flew pattern. Chainsaws can also cause serious bone injuries. Fig.1 Suicidal cut of the throat.
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- [Extensive maggot activity on the face of a decomposing man](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/extensive-maggot-activity-on-the-face-of-a-decomposing-man/) - Maggots cause most of the body’s decomposition because the maggot will do the majority of the eating. Maggots have powerful proteolytic enzymes that aid the dissolution of tissues and facilitate penetration. The maggots are voracious and energetic, first exploring the natural passages, such as mouth and nostrils, then burrowing into the tissues. They secrete digestive
- [Homicide staged as a suicide](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/homicide-staged-as-a-suicide/) - USA. A 35-year-old male was found dead in the basement room where he slept, which also served as his firearm storage room. He reportedly slept in the room because he and his wife were in the process of divorcing. The wife reported that she and her husband had argued while in the same room. During
- [Multiple injuries in suicide simulating homicide](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/multiple-injuries-in-suicide-simulating-homicide/) - A 47-year-old female was found lying unclothed on the kitchen floor at her home address. There was extensive blood-staining of the floor and furniture, with fifty empty blister packs of clozapine in the kitchen sink. As multiple injuries were also present the death was considered to be a possible homicide. Fig.1 The position of the
- [A case of planned complex suicide](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/a-case-of-planned-complex-suicide/) - South Korea. Translated from Korean. The deceased is an unemployed 66-year-old man. After his divorce, he lived alone in a container studio apartment and had debt problems. He had a history of hypertension and diabetes. The owner of the container, who thought it was strange that there was no sign of presence recently, reported it
- [Stellate entrance wound on the lip](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/stellate-entrance-wound-on-the-lip/) - Distant range stellate entrance wound on the lip. Distant gunshot wounds of the head may have a stellate or irregular appearance simulating a contact wound. This phenomenon is seen with both handgun and rifle bullets. It is most common over bony prominence such as the orbital ridges. This phenomenon can be seen in other areas
- [The Death Mask Murder case](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/the-death-mask-murder-case/) - Rockland County, NY, US. In March 1985 some young boys found a charred and mutilated corpse in a smokehouse on the Rockland County property of a family named LeGeros. The victim – wearing a black leather hood used in sadomasochistic rituals – turned out to be Eigil Dag Vesti, a handsome young fashion student from
- [Woman commits suicide by truck](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/woman-commits-suicide-by-truck/) - Brazil. A woman committed suicide by throwing herself under a moving truck. Suicide by truck, also known as “truck suicide” or “pedestrian–vehicle suicide,” occurs when an individual intentionally puts themselves in the path of a moving truck with the intent of causing their own death. While suicides by any means are tragic, suicide by truck
- [Severe disruption of the face](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/severe-disruption-of-the-face/) - This victim died after jumping from the third floor of a building landing on his face. Severe disruption of the usual facial architecture can be observed. No further info. Fig.1 Severe disruption of the face. Suicide prevention If you are experiencing a suicidal or mental health crisis or are concerned for someone else, contact your
- [The murder of two men](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/the-murder-of-two-men/) - In March 2012 a charred corpse was found near the Shkotovo-Artem highway in Russia. The corpse was discovered in a pile of garbage and sand by a local resident walking his dog. A month later, in the same area, another corpse was found in an iron barrel filled with sand. Fig.1 Fig.2 Fig.3 The forensic
- [Man cut in two parts by train](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/man-cut-in-two-parts-by-train/) - This individual was killed and cut in half when hit by a train, no further info. Railroad deaths in the US totaled 757 in 2020, a decrease of more than 12% from the 2019 revised total of 862 and the lowest since 2015. Nonfatal injuries totaled 5,479, a 33% decrease from the 2019 revised total
- [Subscribe To Get The Latest Monthly Magazine](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/subscribe-to-get-the-latest-monthly-magazine-14/) - The December 2023 issue is out With a monthly subscription the Shocker brings you unfiltered views of reality and educational content from the world of crime, accidents, and forensics. Each magazine has about 50 pages of new and old content from the vault of the Shocker and is only in a digital download format.
- [Distant range stellate entrance wound](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/distant-range-stellate-entrance-wound/) - Distant range stellate entrance wound on the forehead. Distant gunshot wounds of the head may have a stellate or irregular appearance simulating a contact wound. This phenomenon is seen with both handgun and rifle bullets. It is most common over bony prominence such as the orbital ridges. This phenomenon can be seen in other areas
- [Woman killed with a baseball bat](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/woman-killed-with-a-baseball-bat/) - A woman was found prone on the floor just inside the front door of her house. A puddle of blood was on the floor under her head. A distinct pattern of blood spatter on the wall above and to the right of the head was consistent with originating from the position of the head on
- [Body found in a pond](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/body-found-in-a-pond/) - India. This body was found in a pond, no further info. Associated with putrefaction is the production of gases. These gases, primarily located in the abdomen, cause the body to become distended or bloat. This bloating can cause the affected areas of the body to expand dramatically. The pressure may cause the eye globes and
- [Suicide by intraoral shotgun wound](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/suicide-by-intraoral-shotgun-wound/) - Russia. This individual committed suicide by intraoral shotgun wound. In the head, neck, and limbs, shotgun exit wounds can be ragged and very large, with extensive tissue damage. In a suicide where the gun has been placed in the mouth, there will be significant disruption of the head, and brain may be expelled, the so-called
- [Motorcyclist's heart skipping along the road and head split](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/motorcyclists-heart-skipping-along-the-road-and-head-split/) - USA. A motorcyclist changed lanes on the freeway to avoid stopped traffic ahead of him. As he started to change lanes, he struck the rear of the vehicle in front of him and also another vehicle before traveling into the next lane where he went underneath a tractor-trailer and was rolled over by the rear
- [Monthly Magazine December 2023](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/monthly-magazine-december-2023/) - Click here to open the December magazine Other magazines Monthly Magazine May 2025 Herman the Shocker | Monthly Magazine | No Comments Click here to open the May magazine Other magazines Monthly Magazine April 2025 Herman the Shocker | Monthly Magazine | No Comments Click here to open the April magazine Other magazines Monthly Magazine
- [Woman crushed by a gate after trying to open it](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/woman-crushed-by-a-gate-after-trying-to-open-it/) - The woman shown in the images was trying to open the electronically controlled iron gate by reaching through the bars to depress the button on the control panel mounted next to the gate. The moving gate crushed her against the frame of the gate, pinning her body in the upright position. Black grease on her
- [Suffocation suicide with plastic bag](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/suffocation-suicide-with-plastic-bag/) - Spain. No info. Suffocation by plastic bag is not common. The finding of a body at the scene of death with a plastic bag in situ could be diagnostically valuable to the pathologist. Otherwise the pathologist may be hard put to arrive at a firm opinion as to how the deceased met his/her death. Fig.1
- [Dicing injuries](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/dicing-injuries/) - These are short, linear, angulated, incised injuries caused by the characteristic cubed fragments of shattered tempered glass. Tempered glass is found in the side windows of automobiles and not in the windshield or rear window. Because there is often an impact of the skin against the flat, tempered, glass window as it shatters, the incised
- [Gunshot wound on the neck](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/gunshot-wound-on-the-neck/) - Gunshot wound on the neck, no further info. A gunshot wound (GSW) is a penetrating injury caused by a projectile (e.g. a bullet) from a gun (typically firearm or air gun). Damages may include bleeding, bone fractures, organ damage, wound infection, loss of the ability to move part of the body, and in severe cases,
- [An overkill matricide](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/an-overkill-matricide/) - Italy. A 73-year-old woman was found dead in her own home by the police. The police intervened because they were alerted by a neighbor who had heard the woman scream and ask for help. At the scene, there was a young man who, armed with a kitchen knife, attacked the operators, and claimed to be
- [Plastic bag suffocation](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/plastic-bag-suffocation/) - Cook County. The plastic bag prevents the physiologic breathing by rapid oxygen consumption and mechanical obstruction of the oral and nasal orifices. Inert gases are commonly associated with this type of death (see the tank on the right). No further info. Fig.1 Plastic bag suffocation. Suicide prevention If you are experiencing a suicidal or mental
- [Contact-range gunshot wound on the head](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/contact-range-gunshot-wound-on-the-head/) - This individual has a contact-range gunshot wound on the head. The head has been shaved around the wound. No further info. In contact gunshot wounds with bony tissue underlying the injury, the injuries are typically called a stellate wound, where the gases exit the barrel before the projectile. As a result, the gas collides with
- [Lacerations from a hammer](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/lacerations-from-a-hammer/) - Fatal lacerations from hammer on the head. No further info. Claw hammers have the specific characteristic of having two distinct ends: one a flat head of variable form, the other bifurcated. So the use of this tool as a blunt instrument will cause varying injuries. Fig.1 Lacerations from a hammer. A first injury composed of
- [Female autoerotic death](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/female-autoerotic-death-2/) - Chicago, Illinois. The victim was a 34-year-old white female, who lived alone in an apartment on the north side of the city. She was a schoolteacher, single, and in good physical and mental health at the time of her death. On Saturday, she had spent the day with her parents who were house hunting. She
- [Advanced decomposition and purge fluid](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/advanced-decomposition-and-purge-fluid/) - An example of a body demonstrating relatively advanced decomposition, with bloating, skin discoloration, and abundant purge fluid. The decomposition of the gastrointestinal tract results in a dark, foul-smelling liquid called “purge fluid” that is forced out of the nose and mouth due to gas pressure in the intestine. Putrefaction begins immediately upon death and usually
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- [Skeletal remains of a body found outdoors](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/skeletal-remains-of-a-body-found-outdoors/) - Nassau County, New York. Skeletal remains of a body found outdoors. No further info. Skeletonization is the state of a dead organism after undergoing decomposition. Skeletonization refers to the final stage of decomposition, during which the last vestiges of the soft tissues of a corpse or carcass have decayed or dried to the point that
- [Massive head trauma from a suicide](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/massive-head-trauma-from-a-suicide/) - This individual committed suicide with a gun. He has massive head trauma and cranial rupture. The head is the most common location for a suicidal shotgun wound (74%), followed by the chest (20%) and then the abdomen (6%). In head wounds, the most common location was intraoral (50%), followed by under the chin (19%); side
- [2 mummified bodies found in Florida home](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/2-mummified-bodies-found-in-florida-home/) - Lehigh Acres, Florida, US, 2002. A 63-year-old woman lived with her 34-year-old son in a residential neighborhood in southwest Florida. The home had been built in the late 1980s by the woman’s husband, who had died in 1994. The son experienced a chronic, progressively debilitating neurologic disorder that had led to him being barely able
- [Female psychiatrist fatally stabbed](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/female-psychiatrist-fatally-stabbed/) - Italy. A 53-year-old female psychiatrist was fatally stabbed in her office in a Mental Health Center by a 44-year-old male patient. The man had been referred to the psychiatrist after a previous admission to the ED following experiences of suicidal ideations, psychomotor agitation, and mental confusion. Her colleagues rushed to her aid, but she died
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- [Postmortem animal predation](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/postmortem-animal-predation-2/) - This individual died and his body was scavenged by animals, no further info. The phenomenon of postmortem animal interference with human bodies or their remains is a substantial part of the taphonomic processes a body undergoes after death and animal depredation occurring after death is routinely encountered in forensic pathology. Postmortem injuries can be inflicted
- [The Essex boys - The Rettendon murders](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/the-essex-boys-the-rettendon-murders/) - The Rettendon murders (also known as the Range Rover murders or Essex boys murders) occurred on 6 December 1995 in the village of Rettendon in Essex, England, when three drug dealers were shot dead in a Range Rover on a small farm track. The three victims, Patrick Tate (37), Tony Tucker (38), and Craig Rolfe
- [Homicide and dumping](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/homicide-and-dumping/) - Germany. This individual was murdered and the body then dumped in a river. A stab wound was noted in the chest. Corpse dumping is the disposal of corpses, i.e. taking a deceased to a place other than the place of death. For example to cover up a homicide or to simulate drowning. Fig.1 Homicide and
- [Trauma to the scalp inflicted with a glass ashtray](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/trauma-to-the-scalp-inflicted-with-a-glass-ashtray/) - Spain. The trauma to the scalp was inflicted with a blunt object (glass ashtray). The wounds could be considered as indicative of the perpetrator’s serious and harmful psychological state as well as aggressive behavior at the time of committing the crime. Fig.1 Trauma to the scalp inflicted with a glass ashtray. Latest posts Man driving
- [Rapid skeletonization due to carnivorous fish species](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/rapid-skeletonization-due-to-carnivorous-fish-species/) - Brazil. Rapid skeletonization of remains may occur in bodies of water in tropical areas due to water temperature and carnivorous fish species. This individual reportedly went missing only a few days prior to recovery. Examples of rapid skeletonization of remains have been noted in tropical waters where carnivorous predators are abundant, such as the Amazon
- [Worker shredded in a plastic pellet mixer](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/worker-shredded-in-a-plastic-pellet-mixer/) - February, 2015 – Nakhon Pathom, Thailand. A 45-year-old worker died in a gruesome accident at a plastic window and door panel factory. The worker and a coworker were cleaning a plastic pellet mixer when the accident happened. As the worker got inside the steel drum to clean it, his coworker went to the controls to
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- [Massive head trauma severely limiting visual identification](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/massive-head-trauma-severely-limiting-visual-identification/) - Massive head trauma severely limiting visual identification. No further info. At close range, the shotgun is the most formidable and destructive of all small arms. For birdshot and buckshot loads, the severity and lethality of a shotgun wound depends on the number of pellets that enter the body, the organs struck by the pellets, and
- [Exit gunshot wound](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/exit-gunshot-wound/) - Exit gunshot wounds are usually irregular in shape and relatively large – and may be confused with contact entrance wounds. exit wounds tend to vary widely in their appearance and may be multiple (in the event of fragmentation of the projectile or secondary projectiles resulting from shattered bone), very irregular in shape (even mimicking incised
- [A case of autoerotic death](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/a-case-of-autoerotic-death/) - Bulgaria. The victim is a 37-years-old male. The cadaver was found in the apartment where he lived. It was in a relatively advanced stage of decomposition. The timing of death is approximately 4 days prior the finding of the cadaver. Examination of the death scene revealed that the cadaver was tied by ligatures over the
- [Porsche girl - The accident of Nikki Catsouras](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/porsche-girl-the-accident-of-nikki-catsouras/) - On Halloween, 2006, 18-year-old Nikki Catsouras crashed her father’s Porsche 911 Carrera, driving at more than 100 miles per hour. While trying to switch lanes, she clipped another car, lost control, then careened over the highway’s median across the traffic lanes and into a concrete toll booth. She became known as “Porsche Girl” when graphic
- [Homicidal cut throat](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/homicidal-cut-throat-2/) - Homicidal cut throat. No further info. Cut throats can be homicidal, suicidal or accidental. Homicidal cut-throats are a well-recognized method of killing while suicidal cut throats are less commonly reported and accidental cut throats are rare. The forensic pathologists have a challenging and important task when ascertaining the manner of death when cut throats are
- [Tire marks on the skin](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/tire-marks-on-the-skin/) - This individual was killed when he was run over by a vehicle. One characteristic of traffic accidents is the impression left by the protruding part of the vehicle, or the tire print left by a rubber bumper on the skin. No further info. It is well known that if a person is run over by
- [Woman’s face eaten by the family dog](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/womans-face-eaten-by-the-family-dog/) - This woman’s face was eaten by the family dog postmortem, which increased putrefactive changes to the internal components of the body. You can also observe skin slippage on the woman’s scalp, as her hair separated from the skull. Bodies are also subject to animal feeding, indoors as well as outdoors. Animals feed on the remains
- [Facial injuries sustained when a letter bomb exploded as it was being opened](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/facial-injuries-sustained-when-a-letter-bomb-exploded-as-it-was-being-opened/) - Facial injuries sustained when a letter bomb exploded as it was being opened. No further info. It is not uncommon for small explosive devices to be sent in the post to targeted individuals. The device is usually contained within a large padded envelope and detonation is usually achieved when the envelope is opened by an
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- [Entrance wound radiating petals patterns from muzzle break](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/entrance-wound-radiating-petals-patterns-from-muzzle-break/) - The figure shows three radiating petals from the entrance wound under the jaw of a victim of suicide from muzzle break on a 12 gauge shotgun. On occasion, one will encounter a shotgun with a muzzle break/compensator. Contact wounds with this device result in a petal pattern similar to that seen in rifles with muzzle
- [This individual died after getting hit by a train](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/this-individual-died-after-getting-hit-by-a-train/) - This individual died after getting hit by a train, no further info. Railroad deaths in the US totaled 757 in 2020, a decrease of more than 12% from the 2019 revised total of 862 and the lowest since 2015. Nonfatal injuries totaled 5,479, a 33% decrease from the 2019 revised total of 7,983. From 2019
- [Alcoholic found dead in a bathtub](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/alcoholic-found-dead-in-a-bathtub/) - A 42-year-old man was found with his head, torso, and most of his upper and lower extremities completely submerged in a bathtub filled to the brim with water. The decedent’s mother had requested a welfare check on her son after being unable to enter her home where she lived with her son, after being discharged
- [Stab wounds of the chest and abdomen](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/stab-wounds-of-the-chest-and-abdomen/) - This individual has been stabbed multiple times in the chest and abdomen, the body has been washed at the morgue, no further info. Sharp force injuries are caused by objects with sharp or nearly sharp edges or points, including knives, screwdrivers, scissors, ice picks, broken glass, and axes. The wounds they produce typically have smooth
- [Beheaded Serb by a Bosnian terrorist](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/beheaded-serb-by-a-bosnian-terrorist/) - A war crimes investigation in Serbia and Republika Srpska of a beheaded Serb by a Bosnian Al-Qaeda terrorist in 1999. A series of war crimes were committed during the Kosovo War (early 1998 – 11 June 1999). The forces of the Slobodan Milošević regime committed rape, killed many Albanian civilians and expelled them during the
- [South Bronx rape–homicide victim](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/south-bronx-rape-homicide-victim/) - Bronx, New York City. This is the victim of a rape–homicide that occurred in an unoccupied apartment within a building in the South Bronx. The victim was raped and sodomized by the killer, who had forced her into this location after tricking her into going into the building. She was a classic “victim of opportunity”
- [Open secondary skull fracture at exit of a shotgun blast](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/open-secondary-skull-fracture-at-exit-of-a-shotgun-blast/) - Spain. Open secondary skull fracture at exit of a shotgun blast. No further info. Head injuries from shotguns and high-powered rifles are typically quite devastating, often with extensive soft tissue destruction, skull fractures, and pulpifaction of the brain. Occasionally, the brain is largely expelled from the cranial vault and may be found near the body.
- [Avulsion and raccoon eyes](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/avulsion-and-raccoon-eyes/) - Avulsion laceration produced from a shearing-type force, with a resultant ‘flap’ of torn & undermined tissue. Raccoon eyes also known as bruising around the eyes or periorbital hematoma or periorbital bruising (ecchymosis) with tarsal plate sparing, is a sign of basal skull fracture. Raccoon eyes results from blood from skull fracture tracking down into the
- [Tangential gunshot wound of the left cheek from a 9 mm bullet](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/tangential-gunshot-wound-of-the-left-cheek-from-a-9-mm-bullet/) - Tangential gunshot wound of the left cheek from a 9 mm bullet. If a bullet is deformed or tumbles prior to striking the body, the tendency to produce cruciform or stellate wounds is further accentuated. A tangential gunshot wound of the face may simulate a stellate contact wound. Fig.1 Tangential gunshot wound of the left
- [Gunshot wound from a .357 Magnum](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/gunshot-wound-from-a-357-magnum/) - Intermediate-range gunshot wound from a .357 Magnum—range of approximately 1 ft. Irregular, cruciform, or stellate entrance wounds can occur in individuals shot at intermediate or distant range, where gas plays no role in the production of a wound. These occur when the bullet perforates the skin over a bony prominence or curved area of bone
- [Impalement of the gear stick into the brain through the nose](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/impalement-of-the-gear-stick-into-the-brain-through-the-nose/) - Japan. A 59-year-old male was driving a car on the road. The back of his car was hit by a tanker and the collision forced his car into the opposite lane, where it collided with another big lorry. His car rotated clockwise and hit the tanker again. The man was wearing a seat belt but
- [Brain tissue that has undergone pulp-like transformation](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/brain-tissue-that-has-undergone-pulp-like-transformation/) - Brain tissue that has undergone pulp-like transformation (burial time, 7 weeks). In the case of a naturally mummified body, putrefaction, autolysis, as well as possible animal predation and mummification processes take place simultaneously. When this is the case, mummification, that is to say, the drying out of tissue, inhibits other decomposition processes. Brain tissue often
- [Pedestrian who was run over by a large heavy truck](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/pedestrian-who-was-run-over-by-a-large-heavy-truck/) - This woman was a pedestrian who was run over by a large, heavy truck. Note the severe amount of tissue disruption of her back, buttock, and leg. The wheel of the truck tore a large area of tissue off of her leg and avulsed most of the tissue of her buttock. Note the large amount
- [Bloating and blood-tinged fluid from the nostrils and mouth](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/bloating-and-blood-tinged-fluid-from-the-nostrils-and-mouth/) - Bloating of face and effusion of blood-tinged fluid from the nostrils and mouth. A body recovered from water, postmortem time approximately 11 days. No further info. Decomposition, or putrefaction, is a combination of two processes: autolysis and bacterial action. Autolysis is the breakdown of cells and organs through an aseptic chemical process caused by intracellular
- [Subscribe To Get The Latest Monthly Magazine](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/subscribe-to-get-the-latest-monthly-magazine-11/) - The September 2023 issue is out With a monthly subscription the Shocker brings you unfiltered views of reality and educational content from the world of crime, accidents, and forensics. Each magazine has about 50 pages of new and old content from the vault of the Shocker and is only in a digital download format.
- [A suicide using a chainsaw to cut into the right side of the face](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/a-suicide-using-a-chainsaw-to-cut-into-the-right-side-of-the-face/) - This individual committed suicide with a chainsaw into the right side of the face. No further info. Suicides, or suicidal attempts committed with power saws, are rare events. It is an uncommonly reported incident and the forensic literature comprises few case reports of chainsaw suicides. Obviously, using a chainsaw for suicide is an exception and
- [Decomposition & bagged hands](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/decomposition-bagged-hands-2/) - In this case, police and scene investigators were suspicious that this individual was killed by blunt force injuries to the head, so the hands were bagged and the case handled as a homicide. The cause of death was coronary artery disease, and these are the changes of decomposition. Decomposition: discoloration and swelling of tissues of
- [Fire exposure after lethal hypothermia](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/fire-exposure-after-lethal-hypothermia/) - A 49-year-old woman was found dead in her apartment after a fire in a residential building in Germany. The woman was being cared for by an acquaintance, who was the owner of the apartment. He brought her a meal every day, but she had not touched these for two days before the outbreak of fire.
- [Unusual mechanism of penile amputation from an industrial-sized lawn mower](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/unusual-mechanism-of-penile-amputation-from-an-industrial-sized-lawn-mower/) - West Virginia, USA. A 69-year-old male who was found underneath an industrial-sized lawn mower in a rural area. The lawnmower had tipped as he was ascending a hill, and he was trapped underneath for an indeterminate amount of time. The patient suffered avulsion of his penis, scrotum, and testicles along with sustaining gaping perineal and
- [Postmortem animal activity on woman's face by her puppy](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/postmortem-animal-activity-on-womans-face-by-her-puppy/) - This woman was located deceased at home in her bedroom wearing only a pair of underpants, lying on her back. She was located approximately 1 week after being reported missing. There was a puppy present in the house. She had died from complications of chronic alcohol abuse. Fig.1 Anterior view of the head and neck
- [Police officer stabbed in the head](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/police-officer-stabbed-in-the-head/) - A 23-year-old police officer was killed while on duty. The victim was attacked by multiple assailants, and one of the attackers stabbed the victim, who had been knocked down and unconscious, in the temple with a two-edged dagger with such force that the instrument sunk into the skull up to the handle of the dagger
- [Complete destruction of the head](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/complete-destruction-of-the-head/) - Complete destruction of the head from a gunshot suicide. No further info. Head injuries from shotguns and high-powered rifles are typically quite devastating, often with extensive soft tissue destruction, skull fractures, and pulpifaction of the brain. Occasionally, the brain is largely expelled from the cranial vault and may be found near the body. Fig.1 Complete
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- [Bloated body of a woman after one week of submersion](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/bloated-body-of-a-woman-after-one-week-of-submersion/) - The body of this woman had been in the water for approximately one week. Notice the effects of submersion and postmortem changes in the tissue. Many times it is difficult to determine the sex of bodies that have been immersed in water. A body in water generally decomposes more slowly due to the colder temperatures
- [Suicide with home made guillotine](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/suicide-with-home-made-guillotine/) - Germany. In early September 2011, after a 2-week holiday, a 26-year-old man failed to show up for work as scheduled, prompting his brother to visit his residence. After nobody answered the door, he called the fire department, who broke open the apartment door, which was locked from the inside, and found the alleged tenant of
- [Autoerotic death in a special metal construction](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/autoerotic-death-in-a-special-metal-construction/) - A 55-year-old man was found dead in his friend’s apartment. The victim’s body was suspended in a special metal construction by his legs, hands, and neck. Fig.1 A 55-year-old man was found dead in his friend’s apartment. Fig.2 The victim’s body was suspended in a special metal construction by his legs, hands, and neck. The
- [Homicide with a Japanese katana sword](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/homicide-with-a-japanese-katana-sword/) - France. A 59-year-old woman was assaulted by her son with a Japanese sword (katana) with a total length of 95 cm (37.4″), a blade length of 60 cm (23.6″), and a blade height near the guard of 3 cm (1.2″), and at the end of 2 cm (0.8″). The aggressor was suffering from schizophrenia and
- [Intraoral shotgun wound](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/intraoral-shotgun-wound/) - Occasionally, people shooting themselves in the mouth tilt their heads too far back- ward before firing. This results in their shooting off their faces and sometimes the frontal lobes. In such instances, death may not be immediate. Some individuals survive weeks with such wounds. One individual who shot off his face survived a number of
- [Tentative cuts inflicted with suicidal intent](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/tentative-cuts-inflicted-with-suicidal-intent/) - Tentative cuts inflicted with suicidal intent accompanied by deep stab/incised wounds to the soft tissue of the neck. Tentative wounds are superficial, usually parallel incisions in the epidermis, at most the dermis, found adjacent to individual deeper skin incisions causing vessel injury. Injury is localized to an area easily accessible to the individual’s dominant hand,
- [Mechanic sucked into a jet engine](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/mechanic-sucked-into-a-jet-engine/) - January 16, 2006 – El Paso, TX, USA. A mechanic standing near a Boeing 737 at El Paso International Airport in Texas was sucked into one of the engines and killed, officials said. Fig.1 Fig.2 Fig.3 Continental Airlines Flight 1515 was preparing to take off for Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston when “a maintenance-related engine
- [Associated with putrefaction is the production of gases](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/associated-with-putrefaction-is-the-production-of-gases/) - Associated with putrefaction is the production of gases. These gases, primarily located in the abdomen, cause the body to become distended or bloat. This bloating can cause the affected areas of the body to expand dramatically. Over time the affected areas may rupture or the gas may subside naturally. Skin slippage, or the shedding of
- [Suicide by multiple sharp-force injuries with broken glass](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/suicide-by-multiple-sharp-force-injuries-with-broken-glass/) - This individual committed suicide with broken glass from a picture frame. No further info. Sharp-force injuries are defined as injuries produced by an instrument with a thin edge or point. Examples of these instruments include a knife, razor, box cutter, scalpel, sharp-edged piece of metal, broken glass bottle, broken glass window, scissor, ice pick, fork,
- [Decomposing body found in apartment](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/decomposing-body-found-in-apartment/) - On 11 July 2017, the dead body of a 39-year-old man was found in his apartment in a small district town in the eastern Ruhr area in Germany. The man was last seen in a small district town in the eastern Ruhr area in Germany. He suffered from a personality disorder, as well as drug
- [Extensive whitish-gray fungal colonization on corpse's face](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/extensive-whitish-gray-fungal-colonization-on-corpses-face/) - Here we see an extensive whitish-gray fungal colonization on a corpse’s face following a burial time of 7 months. It is often possible to make numerous findings after exhumation despite factors such as autolysis, putrefaction, possible animal predation, fungal colonization, mummification, adipocere, and artifacts (e.g., caused during body recovery). There is no linear correlation between
- [The use of dentures to identify a decomposed body from the sea](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/the-use-of-dentures-to-identify-a-decomposed-body-from-the-sea/) - The body of this decomposed individual was pulled from the sea. The loss of tissue around eyes and mouth was caused by marine predators. In this case the dentures were used to identify the individual. Some dental prostheses carry makers’ or patients’ record numbers embedded in the plate material, and this can be associated with
- [Protrusion of the tongue and putrefactive fluid from the nostrils](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/protrusion-of-the-tongue-and-putrefactive-fluid-from-the-nostrils/) - Postmortem protrusion of the tongue due to putrefactive gas formation and purging of putrefactive fluid from the nostrils. At the bloating stage, the microorganisms residing in the human gut begin to digest the tissues of the body, excreting gases that cause the torso and limbs to bloat, and producing foul-smelling chemicals including putrescine and cadaverine.
- [Maggots on a decomposing body](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/maggots-on-a-decomposing-body/) - Maggots are the larval form of flies. Flies lay their eggs in small and sometimes large bulky clusters on accessible unsubmerged areas, crevices, and cavities of the body, preferring moist areas such as the eyes, nostrils, scalp, lips, ear canals, and open wounds. Individually, these are tiny, round to ovoid, tan-white structures that resemble seeds
- [High velocity rifle suicide](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/high-velocity-rifle-suicide/) - Texas, USA. These photos illustrate the appearance of a crime scene indoors involving a high velocity weapon. The man had placed the 30.06 rifle into his mouth. Note that the entire mouth and major portion of the victim’s skull are absent secondary to gunshot wound through the mouth. Fig.1 The man had placed the 30.06
- [Surveyor crushed to death in Israel](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/surveyor-crushed-to-death-in-israel/) - September, 2016 – Israel. A 65-year-old surveyor was killed at a work site to widen Road 531 in Sharon, when a truck traveling backwards ran over him. Three months prior, another surveyor was killed under the same circumstances at a site to widen Highway Six. The same contracting company was responsible for both cases. Fig.1
- [Kidnapped teacher found dead and gagged in a shallow grave](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/kidnapped-teacher-found-dead-and-gagged-in-a-shallow-grave/) - San Rafael del Yuma, Dominican Republic – 2019. Janel Aquiles Cedano de León, a 35 year old teacher was kidnapped by 2 men dressed as the police during a fake police check. The kidnappers phoned the teachers family and demanded 1,500,000 pesos for his release. They had 3 days to pay up. 4 days later,
- [Subscribe To Get The Latest Monthly Magazine](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/subscribe-to-get-the-latest-monthly-magazine-10/) - The August 2023 issue is out With a monthly subscription the Shocker brings you unfiltered views of reality and educational content from the world of crime, accidents, and forensics. Each magazine has about 50 pages of new exclusive and old content from the vault of the Shocker and is only in a digital download
- [Woman driver died in a collision with a truck while using her phone](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/woman-driver-died-in-a-collision-with-a-truck-while-using-her-phone/) - Brazil – 2019. A 34-year-old woman died in a head-on collision with a truck on the PR-323 highway between Londrina and Sertanópolis. According to police the woman was on her phone when her vehicle entered the opposite lane and crashed head-on with the truck. The truck driver was not injured. Fig.1 Fig.2 Fig.3 Fig.4 Fig.5
- [Man commits suicide at ex-wife's house](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/man-commits-suicide-at-ex-wifes-house/) - Thailand. A 40-year-old taxi driver broke in to the apartment of his ex-wife and set it on fire, he then shot himself in the head with a shotgun. The man left behind a suicide note. Fig.1 Fig.2 Fig.3 Fig.4 Fig.5 Suicide prevention If you are experiencing a suicidal or mental health crisis or are concerned
- [Woman falls to her death from 34th floor](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/woman-falls-to-her-death-from-34th-floor/) - Bangkok, Thailand – 2014. A 28-year-old Russian woman, Svetlana Pokasova, was killed after she fell from her room on the 34th floor of The Address condominium in Bangkok’s Ratchathewi district, police said. The woman was there with her sister and at least one other Russian female. Svetlana’s sister had rented the apartment opposite and was
- [The victims of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/the-victims-of-malaysia-airlines-flight-mh17/) - Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 was a scheduled passenger flight from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur that was shot down by Russian-controlled forces on 17 July 2014, while flying over eastern Ukraine. All 283 passengers and 15 crew were killed. Contact with the aircraft, a Boeing 777-200ER, was lost when it was about 50 km (31 mi)
- [Putrefactive body fluid stain](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/putrefactive-body-fluid-stain/) - A 71-year-old man was found dead in his locked apartment in a prone position on the floor of the hallway. The putrefied body was lying with the right side of his face on the floor. The upper limbs were both flexed at the elbows: the right one was underneath the chest, the left one was
- [Monthly Magazine August 2023](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/monthly-magazine-august-2023/) - Click here to open the August magazine Other magazines Monthly Magazine May 2025 Herman the Shocker | Monthly Magazine | No Comments Click here to open the May magazine Other magazines Monthly Magazine April 2025 Herman the Shocker | Monthly Magazine | No Comments Click here to open the April magazine Other magazines Monthly Magazine
- [Man in a state of advanced decay after suicide](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/man-in-a-state-of-advanced-decay-after-suicide/) - This individual was found in a state of advanced decay, he had committed suicide by hanging. No further info. The length of the postmortem interval needed for skeletonization of a body or parts of it is highly variable and mainly depends on the ambient temperature, insect colonization of the body, and scavenger activity. Under warm
- [Partial skeletonization](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/partial-skeletonization-2/) - Skeletonization is the removal of tissues from the skeleton or bones. It may be complete where all soft tissues are removed or partial where only portions of bones are exposed. Skin, muscle, soft tissue and internal organs may lose before skeleton becomes disarticulated. The disarticulation usually proceeds from the head to downward (for e.g. mandible
- [Woman found dead in a bathtub](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/woman-found-dead-in-a-bathtub/) - Madrid, Spain. Corpse of a 48-year-old woman, found in the bathroom in her home address, in a bathtub full of water. There was no news of her in the preceding four days. Among her medical records depression and chronic alcoholism are included. She had a very erratic monitoring of her prescribed medical treatment, without quitting/abandoning
- [‘‘I am flying to the stars’’—Suicide by aircraft](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/i-am-flying-to-the-stars-suicide-by-aircraft/) - Germany. In March of 2007, a 50-year-old man was fatally injured when his single-engine low wing propeller aircraft – a Beech BE24R ‘‘Sierra’’ – crashed just minutes after taking off from a local airfield close to the town of Rendsburg, Germany. The pilot had a medical certificate of fitness and held private pilot’s licenses for
- [Mummified woman found inside a sealed wardrobe in Italy](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/mummified-woman-found-inside-a-sealed-wardrobe-in-italy/) - 2005 – Italy. A young man was found dead in the garage of his house. Extremely poor hygiene conditions were found in the house; several boxes of different drugs (butalbital, diazepam, lorazepam, orphenadrine, dexchlorpheniramine) and piles of garbage were scattered everywhere. The body was found in a supine position next to the front bumper of
- [Fatal multiple cut wounds](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/fatal-multiple-cut-wounds/) - Russia. This individual has multiple cut wounds and slash wounds on his face. No further info. Slash wounds occur as a result of tangential movements of sharp implements across the skin surface, for example razors, broken glass, knives, swords etc. They are often deeper at their origin, and tend to be more superficial at their
- [Advanced putrefaction and extensive maggot colonization](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/advanced-putrefaction-and-extensive-maggot-colonization/) - Maggots cause most of the body’s decomposition because the maggot will do the majority of the eating. Maggots have powerful proteolytic enzymes that aid the dissolution of tissues and facilitate penetration. The maggots are voracious and energetic, first exploring the natural passages, such as mouth and nostrils, then burrowing into the tissues. They secrete digestive
- [Suicide by train](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/suicide-by-train/) - Suicide by train. Decapitation of the head. No further info. Unfortunately, suicides by train do occur, and they are a tragic and distressing phenomenon. The prevalence of such incidents can vary across different regions and contexts. Factors such as accessibility to train tracks, population density, mental health issues, and societal factors can influence the frequency
- [Passenger dies from crushing head trauma](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/passenger-dies-from-crushing-head-trauma/) - Asbest, Russia – A 27-year-old resident of the city of Asbest died when a car he was a passenger in skidded on the road and crashed into a tree. The passenger died from crushing head trauma. The driver of the right-hand steering wheel car was drunk and suffered a broken nose and a fractured skull.
- [Moment of impact that killed wing walker Jane Wicker](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/moment-of-impact-that-killed-wing-walker-jane-wicker/) - Vandalia, Ohio. On June 22, 2013, an airplane carrying wing walker Jane Wicker crashed at the Vectren Dayton Air Show, killing both Wicker and pilot Charlie Schwenker. “The wing walker had positioned herself on the bottom side of the lower left wing,” stated in a preliminary NTSB report. The pilot rolled the plane upside down
- [Complex suicide](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/complex-suicide/) - USA. A planned complex suicide. Note the gun on the floor near the decedent’s feet. The victim had shot himself in the temple with a noose around his neck to ensure that he would not survive the gunshot wound. Fig.1 Complex suicide. Suicide prevention If you are experiencing a suicidal or mental health crisis or
- [The Use of Digital Imaging in Human Identification](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/the-use-of-digital-imaging-in-human-identification/) - 2001 – Ventura County, California. The decomposed body of an elderly male was found floating in the ocean outside a harbor. No personal identification was in the clothing, and the body was transported to the Ventura County medical examiner’s office for examination. The condition of the facial tissues prevented visual identification as a reliable means
- [Gunshot wound to the head](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/gunshot-wound-to-the-head/) - This individual died from a gunshot wound to the head. No further info. The head is the most common location for a suicidal shotgun wound (74%), followed by the chest (20%) and then the abdomen (6%). In head wounds, the most common location was intraoral (50%), followed by under the chin (19%); side of head,
- [Homicide victim recovered from the waters](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/homicide-victim-recovered-from-the-waters/) - Nassau County, New York. The body of a homicide victim recovered from the waters with the hands still cuffed behind the back. No further info. Bodies that have been in the water for long periods of time are subject to additional damage or injury that is unrelated to the actual drowning. Most bodies will sink
- [Injuries on man's face](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/injuries-on-mans-face/) - This man had a fatal accident and has suffered traumatizing injuries on his face. No further info. Soft tissue injuries, whether isolated or in combination with other injuries, are among the most common traumatic craniofacial injuries encountered by emergency department personnel and plastic surgeons. In general, injury patterns vary greatly depending on the patient population.
- [Remains found in a ditch along a gravel road](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/remains-found-in-a-ditch-along-a-gravel-road/) - These remains were found in a ditch along a gravel road, at the edge of a National Forest. No further info. The rate of decomposition depends on the temperature, ground conditions, amount of clothing, size of the body, etc. For example, a body in a warm climate will not only encourage insect attack from the
- [Man found hanging on the cage of an elevating work platform](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/man-found-hanging-on-the-cage-of-an-elevating-work-platform/) - The body of a 39-year-old man without any history of drug abuse or illness was found in a civic storage building, hanging on the cage of an elevating work platform (cherry picker). The switching panel of the elevator showed signs of ‘cage operation’. Preceding short messages and telephone calls suggested a suicide. Among other items,
- [Schizophrenic woman tried to remove her eyes with scissors](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/schizophrenic-woman-tried-to-remove-her-eyes-with-scissors/) - An elderly woman with schizophrenia presented with a pair of scissors penetrating her left orbit and an enucleated right globe. Computed tomography (CT) revealed a pair of scissors penetrating the superior orbital fissure, with the blades traveling lateral to the left cavernous sinus and midbrain and ending just superior to the left cerebellar hemisphere. She
- [Twin brothers commit suicide together](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/twin-brothers-commit-suicide-together/) - Twin brothers committed suicide together with a gunshot wound to the head from self-constructed shooting devices, they were found sitting together on a sofa. The firearms were manufactured by the victims who used machined metal tubes with 12-gauge shotgun ammunition. The mechanism of action relied upon direct impact on the firing pin rod; with a
- [Worker dies in a lathe accident](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/worker-dies-in-a-lathe-accident/) - Naberezhnye Chelny, Tatarstan, Russia – November 2020. A 65-year-old worker died at the KAMAZ PJSC factory when he got caught in a spinning lathe machine. The incident was investigated by the Investigative Committee for the Republic of Tatarstan. No further info. Video of the incident. Slowed down version. Fig.1 Lathes are exceptionally useful for cutting
- [Suicide by suffocation with a bag and cable ties](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/suicide-by-suffocation-with-a-bag-and-cable-ties/) - Spain. This individual committed suicide by suffocation with a bag and cable ties. After placing the bag over his head he secured it with a cable tie, he then used cable ties to fasten his hands to his belt. Furrow mark left by bag were seen on the neck. Hyperaemia was noticed in glottis and
- [Man found dead in steam room 8 hours after death](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/man-found-dead-in-steam-room-8-hours-after-death/) - Body of a 42-year-old male found dead in the steam room approximately 8 hours after having gone alone to sauna. Blood alcohol concentration 2.3 per mille; urine alcohol concentration 3.2 per mille. Due to the long heat exposure, a ‘parboiled’ appearance with patchy loss of epidermis due to skin slippage was found when the body
- [Under the chin shotgun suicide](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/under-the-chin-shotgun-suicide/) - Spain. Injuries caused by multiple projectiles (shotgun), with submental entry hole and exit with cranial rupture. No further info. The head is the most common location for a suicidal shotgun wound (74%), followed by the chest (20%) and then the abdomen (6%). In head wounds, the most common location was intraoral (50%), followed by under
- [Mock facial transplantation on a cadaver](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/mock-facial-transplantation-on-a-cadaver/) - Here the surgeons have performed a mock facial transplantation by harvesting total facial-scalp flaps from a donor and transferring them to recipient cadaver. This is a way for the surgeons to practice facial transplantation, using a donor cadaver. One of the aims of this mock transplantation study was to establish the most appropriate sequences of
- [Monthly Magazine July 2023](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/monthly-magazine-july-2023/) - Click here to open the July magazine Other magazines Monthly Magazine May 2025 Herman the Shocker | Monthly Magazine | No Comments Click here to open the May magazine Other magazines Monthly Magazine April 2025 Herman the Shocker | Monthly Magazine | No Comments Click here to open the April magazine Other magazines Monthly Magazine
- [Postmortem animal predation](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/postmortem-animal-predation/) - San Fransisco, US – 2008. This individual had died and his body scavenged by animals postmortem, no further info. Postmortem animal interference of human corpses or remains is a well known phenomenon to forensic death investigators, the morphological appearance of these injuries can be misinterpreted by police officers investigating the suspected crime scene or by
- [Fatal fall from height](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/fatal-fall-from-height/) - This individual fell from a great height and died. He suffered from crushing facial injuries and crushing brain injury. A crushing brain injury causes damage to the brain, blood vessels, and skull, each of which can be life-threatening: A skull fracture exposes the brain to further damage by robbing the brain of its protective case.
- [Drowning victim](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/drowning-victim/) - Clothing on a drowning victim will alter the buoyancy and the progression of decomposition. It may also be misleading as in this case where an item of clothing has the appearance of a blindfold. If a body of water is the primary death scene and the body has been immersed for only a short period
- [15% Off All Merch](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/15-off-all-merch-2/) - 15% discount on everything in the merch shop June 28 – July 2 2023. You can redeem the discount in the cart checkout. Merch shop Merch shop Latest posts Man driving a Chevrolet Corvette decapitated Herman the Shocker | Accident | No Comments US - 28 July 2005. A Westchester County man died Thursday afternoon
- [Fatal high-energy glider accident](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/fatal-high-energy-glider-accident/) - This male individual lost control of his glider shortly after take-off and flipped upside down. The glider then crashed to the ground. The cause of death was multiple injuries sustained in a glider accident. The body was extensively traumatized with severe craniofacial, brain, and spinal injuries. The individual had extensive destruction of the craniofacial skeleton
- [Contact wound under the chin from a 12 gauge shotgun](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/contact-wound-under-the-chin-from-a-12-gauge-shotgun/) - This individual shot himself under the chin from a 12 gauge shotgun and walked 10–15 ft to his truck and got in and later died. Most of the injury was to the soft tissue of the face with only a few pellets entering the cranial cavity. Face flap reposition was performed. An apparent devastating wound
- [Woman killed by train](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/woman-killed-by-train/) - This woman was hit by a train and killed, no further info. In 2020, 1.331 significant railway accidents were reported in the EU. A total of 687 persons were killed in these accidents, while another 468 persons were seriously injured. At EU level, the number of fatalities in railway accidents decreased gradually over the last
- [Woman passenger decapitated in road accident](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/woman-passenger-decapitated-in-road-accident/) - Norway. In June 2003, a small Mazda 232 automobile was involved in an accident. In a sharp left curve, the car in high speed had hit the guardrail on the right side of the road. The rail was bent and destroyed. Several road sign poles with warning signs of a sharp curve were on the
- [Man found dead in a homemade autoerotic suspension equipment](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/man-found-dead-in-a-homemade-autoerotic-suspension-equipment/) - Spain. A 59-year-old man was discovered dead in his home, he was suspended by a harness and a metal chain around his neck in what seemed like an autoerotic asphyxiation death. There was evidence that the man had ejaculated. In front of the man was a TV showing adult movies. On the table were photographs
- [Linear tears on face from the rapid expansion of departed gases from an intraoral gunshot](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/linear-tears-on-face-from-the-rapid-expansion-of-departed-gases-from-an-intraoral-gunshot/) - This individual committed suicide by an intraoral gunshot wound. In the tremendous force imparted by the expulsion of a projectile from a gun, notice the linear tears extending from the corners of his mouth and up along his nose. The discharge of a weapon involves the release not only of a projectile but of hot
- [Maggot infestation on putrefying body](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/maggot-infestation-on-putrefying-body/) - Maggots cause most of the body’s decomposition because the maggot will do the majority of the eating. Maggots have powerful proteolytic enzymes that aid the dissolution of tissues and facilitate penetration. The maggots are voracious and energetic, first exploring the natural passages, such as mouth and nostrils, then burrowing into the tissues. They secrete digestive
- [Woman murdered and dismembered](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/woman-murdered-and-dismembered/) - This woman was murdered and dismembered, and her face peeled off. No further info. Fig.1 The woman had been dismembered. Fig.2 Her face had been peeled off. Latest posts Man driving a Chevrolet Corvette decapitated Herman the Shocker | Accident | No Comments US - 28 July 2005. A Westchester County man died Thursday afternoon
- [Subscribe To Get The Latest Monthly Magazine](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/subscribe-to-get-the-latest-monthly-magazine-9/) - The June 2023 issue is out With a monthly subscription the Shocker brings you unfiltered views of reality and educational content from the world of crime, accidents, and forensics. Each magazine has about 50 pages of new and old content from the vault of the Shocker and is only in a digital download format.
- [Bulging eyes, lips and face with protrusion of the tongue](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/bulging-eyes-lips-and-face-with-protrusion-of-the-tongue-2/) - Note the bulging eyes, lips and face with protrusion of the tongue on this decomposing individual, all related to the decomposition process. No further info about this case. Decomposition, or putrefaction, is a combination of two processes: autolysis and bacterial action. Autolysis is the breakdown of cells and organs through an aseptic chemical process caused
- [An unusual case of suicide: Near decapitation by a modified table saw](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/an-unusual-case-of-suicide-near-decapitation-by-a-modified-table-saw/) - Hungary. A man received an email from his 51-year-old brother that he was planning to commit suicide. He rushed to his brother’s house, and as he looked through the window of the wooden outbuilding, he spotted the blood-soaked body of his brother lying with his head on a table saw. He called the emergency services
- [Suicide With a Homemade Shotgun](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/suicide-with-a-homemade-shotgun/) - Virginia, US. A 57-year-old white man with a history of depression and prior suicidal ideation was found lifeless by his landlord in his residence. Police had responded to the residence 19 days earlier following notification that he had called a suicide hotline and expressed his intent to kill himself. At that time, a 12-gauge shotgun
- [Suicide with explosive in the mouth](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/suicide-with-explosive-in-the-mouth/) - US. A 20-year-old white man was found dead by his father in the subject’s bedroom, reclining in a chair. The decedent lived in a basement apartment in his father’s residence and worked as a paramedic. An audible blast emanating from the basement prompted his father to investigate. The victim was noted to have sustained disfiguring
- [A car with body dangling through the windshield pulled into Covington gas station](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/a-car-with-body-dangling-through-the-windshield-pulled-into-covington-gas-station/) - Covington, Kentucky, USA – 2017. “I thought it was a prank because there was this body hanging out of the window,” a witness at the gas station said. The driver got out of the car, shaking, and walked into the gas station and told the cashier: “You have to call the police because I just
- [A rare case of homicidal double cut throat](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/a-rare-case-of-homicidal-double-cut-throat/) - A rare case of homicidal double cut throat – on front and back. There is also a deep cut on right cheek [one-sided Glasgow smile]. A close up of the neck in the same case shows ligature mark of strangulation, as the victim was strangulated. Note the sharp edges of cut throat wounds. A close-up
- [Cyclist commits suicide by crashing into a wall going full speed](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/cyclist-commits-suicide-by-crashing-into-a-wall-going-full-speed/) - Germany. A 71-year-old man was found lying on the road at a village junction (30 km/h zone) with severe head injuries on a Sunday shortly after midnight. The bicycle he had used still lay between his legs. Resuscitation attempts were unsuccessful, and death was certified still at the scene. As a traffic accident was assumed,
- [Body in stages of black putrefaction](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/body-in-stages-of-black-putrefaction/) - Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Body in stages of black putrefaction apparent in extensive mottling, the draining of purge fluid, and overall darkening of exposed wounds and flesh. Black putrefaction is the stage where the exposed flesh blackens, and the internal organs and tissues take on a creamy consistency. The body then hastens toward fermentation and molding,
- [87-year-old autoerotic death](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/87-year-old-autoerotic-death/) - Wayne Township, New Jersey. This case involved an 87-year-old male who was discovered after police went to his home on a request by the man’s employer to “check on the welfare.” The victim had failed to show up for work and according to the employer, the victim was like an ox and had never missed
- [Crushed head from fall from height](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/crushed-head-from-fall-from-height/) - This individual committed suicide by fall from height, no further info. A crushing brain injury causes damage to the brain, blood vessels, and skull, each of which can be life-threatening: A skull fracture exposes the brain to further damage by robbing the brain of its protective case. Further, fragments of the skull may puncture the
- [A fatal case of anorexia nervosa](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/a-fatal-case-of-anorexia-nervosa/) - Germany. A 22-year-old woman who had suffered from anorexia for 10 years and had collapsed several times was admitted to a psychiatric clinic but died 2 days later. At autopsy, the body of the woman had an extremely emaciated physique and weighed 22.6 kg (49.8 lbs) with a body length of 165 cm (5′ 4.9′′)
- [Exhumed body](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/exhumed-body/) - This body was exhumed 5 years after death. Decompositional changes (putrefaction, mummification, and adipocere formation) are fueled by the body’s endogenous bacterial flora, taking place over time and with great variability, depending on the host and environ- mental factors. Mummification in dry environments tends to affect the face and distal extremities (hands and feet) more
- [Monthly Magazine June 2023](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/monthly-magazine-june-2023/) - Click here to open the June magazine Other magazines Monthly Magazine May 2025 Herman the Shocker | Monthly Magazine | No Comments Click here to open the May magazine Other magazines Monthly Magazine April 2025 Herman the Shocker | Monthly Magazine | No Comments Click here to open the April magazine Other magazines Monthly Magazine
- [Postmortem predation by eels](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/postmortem-predation-by-eels/) - This individual was found dead in water. Postmortem activity by eels were discovered on the body. Such injuries should not be confused with stab wounds or gunshot holes. In drowning victims or persons whose death led to their deposition in water or when a body has been dumped in an aquatic environment, postmortem artifacts on
- [18-year-old man died in a motor vehicle crash](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/18-year-old-man-died-in-a-motor-vehicle-crash/) - USA. This 18-year-old man died in a motor vehicle crash with rollover and ejection. No further info. Rollover car crashes (ROCs) are serious public safety concerns worldwide. Rollover car crashes are associated with high morbidity and mortality, which is a serious public safety concern worldwide. While injuries associated with ROCs can range from minor to
- [Suicide with a hunting rifle](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/suicide-with-a-hunting-rifle-2/) - This individual died after shooting himself under the chin with a hunting rifle. No further info. Head injuries from shotguns and high-powered rifles are typically quite devastating, often with extensive soft tissue destruction, skull fractures, and pulpifaction of the brain. Occasionally, the brain is largely expelled from the cranial vault and may be found near
- [Woman committed suicide with a band saw](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/woman-committed-suicide-with-a-band-saw/) - ~1990s – A 48-year-old landlord’s wife suffering from chronic depression committed suicide with a band saw by amputation of the upper skull including almost the total brain. There was semi-decapitation with removal of the upper skull and almost the total brain. Traumatic amputation of the pons and partial amputation of the upper cervical part of
- [Tears from the sides of the mouth from intraoral shotgun wound](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/tears-from-the-sides-of-the-mouth-from-intraoral-shotgun-wound/) - In this intraoral shotgun wound, note the tissue tears extending from the sides of the mouth. These tears result from the large amount of gases exiting the end of the barrel at high pressures. In contrast to the head, contact shotgun wounds of the torso often have a fairly innocuous appearance, likely related to the
- [Woman killed in a murder-suicide](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/woman-killed-in-a-murder-suicide/) - A 25-year-old woman had moved in with her 34-year-old boyfriend 3 weeks earlier. The brother of the boyfriend came to the house to borrow tools one afternoon and found the couple dead in their bedroom. The man’s body was on the floor on the left side of the foot of the bed; a contact gunshot
- [Young woman found dead with a gunshot wound to the head](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/young-woman-found-dead-with-a-gunshot-wound-to-the-head/) - 2006 – Belo Jardim, Brazil. The Police was called to a residential unit located in the rural area of Belo Jardim where the body of a deceased 18-year-old woman was found. Upon arriving and entering the site, the police team found a female body sitting on the edge of the bed with her head flexed
- [Postmortem animal activity](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/postmortem-animal-activity/) - The phenomenon of postmortem animal interference with human bodies or their remains is a substantial part of the taphonomic processes a body undergoes after death and animal depredation occurring after death is routinely encountered in forensic pathology. Postmortem injuries can be inflicted by all kinds of animals, irrespective of their size or environmental origin, whether
- [Identification of bloated bodies in water](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/identification-of-bloated-bodies-in-water/) - Many times it is difficult to make a physical identification of the victim’s bloated body recovered from the water. This photo depicts the victim’s body when removed from the river along with a comparison of the victim’s driver’s license photo recovered from his wallet. The following are some general time spans associated with bodies in
- [Young man commits suicide with a shotgun](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/young-man-commits-suicide-with-a-shotgun/) - Iceland. A 28-year-old man was reported missing by his mother. He had a medical history of depression, for which he took antidepressant drugs. According to his mother, her son was right-handed. Four months ago he had tried to commit suicide with a knife but had been caught in time. Fig.1 Final position, in which the
- [Cuts on woman's face](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/cuts-on-womans-face/) - I have sadly no information about this one. Found in teaching material from the Office of the Armed Forces Medical Examiner. Fig.1 Cuts on woman’s face. Latest posts Man driving a Chevrolet Corvette decapitated Herman the Shocker | Accident | No Comments US - 28 July 2005. A Westchester County man died Thursday afternoon in
- [Fatal propeller injuries](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/fatal-propeller-injuries/) - No info about this case. The wounds produced by this mechanism are chopping, cutting, penetrating injuries produced by an extremely powerful fast moving, repetitive force that results in multiple, severe blunt and/or sharp disruptions of both soft and bony tissues. Boat propeller injuries, if not fatal, are usually severe and disfiguring resulting in prolonged disability
- [Road explosion by guerrilla group FARC kills six police officers](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/road-explosion-by-guerrilla-group-farc-kills-six-police-officers/) - Colombia – November 2003. Six police officers died in a road explosion by guerrilla group FARC. According to police sources the officers belonged to the Special Operations Command (Copes), trained in counter-guerrilla actions. The National Police reported that the death of its men was registered at 10 in the morning at the Baraya site, in
- [Satan is coming take me home](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/satan-is-coming-take-me-home/) - USA. Self-inflicted injuries on a prison inmate who hanged himself after writing “Satan is coming take me home” on the wall using his own blood. Satanism- and ‘black’witchcraft-associated tattoos (inverted pentagram) and self-inflicted injuries (inverted crosses symbolising mockery and rejection of the Christian cross). Fig.1 Prison inmate who wrote an inscription on the wall of
- [Man found hanging and decomposing in the forest](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/man-found-hanging-and-decomposing-in-the-forest/) - A young man in Brazil was found hanged and decomposed in the forest, he had been missing for a few days and was dealing with mental problems, no further info. Hanging is one of the most commonly used suicide methods and has a high mortality rate; Gunnell et al. gives a figure of at least
- [Mummified body of a woman](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/mummified-body-of-a-woman/) - Spain. Mummified body of a woman preserving her facial features, weighing 13 kilos. Mummification occurs in hot, dry environments. The body dehydrates and bacterial proliferation may be minimal. The skin becomes dark, dried, and leathery. The process occurs readily in the fingers and toes in dry environments, regardless of the temperature. Most mummified bodies are
- [Indoor postmortem animal scavenging by 15 dogs](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/indoor-postmortem-animal-scavenging-by-15-dogs/) - In Sri Lanka, a 76-year-old female was found dead in her house lying supine on the bed and the chest was covered with a T-shirt and the lower part of the body was exposed. The right foot was resting on the floor. The arms were spread out and the head was resting on a pillow.
- [Raccoon eyes and pulpified brain tissue forced out of the nostrils](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/raccoon-eyes-and-pulpified-brain-tissue-forced-out-of-the-nostrils/) - Occasionally, the fragile orbital roofs and ethmoid bone are so severely fractured as to allow pulpified brain tissue to be forced into the nasal sinuses and out the nostrils. This 34-year-old man was ejected during a motor vehicle accident. He sustained a crush injury of the anterior calvarium which extended through the orbital roof. Note
- [Decomposition with purge fluid](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/decomposition-with-purge-fluid/) - Decomposition of the gastrointestinal tract results in a dark, foul-smelling liquid called “purge fluid” that is forced out of the nose and mouth due to gas pressure in the intestine. The bloat stage is characterized by a shift in the bacterial population from aerobic to anaerobic bacterial species. The gases under the skin also causes
- [Shotgun suicide](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/shotgun-suicide-2/) - Spain. This middle-aged man decided to end his life using a shotgun. No further info. Head injuries from shotguns are typically quite devastating, often with extensive soft tissue destruction, skull fractures, and pulpifaction of the brain. Occasionally, the brain is largely expelled from the cranial vault and may be found near the body. Fig.1 A
- [Hanging with mummified body](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/hanging-with-mummified-body/) - Spain. This individual committed suicide by hanging, with possible change of mind and attempt to remove the ligature, details of furrow with finger marks can be seen in the neck area. The body has started to mummify. Fig.1 Hanging with mummified body, with possible change of mind and attempt to remove the ligature. Mummification occurs
- [Postmortem injuries inflicted by a domestic dog](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/postmortem-injuries-inflicted-by-a-domestic-dog/) - The individual in the images received the injuries postmortem by a domestic dog, cause of death unknown. No further info on the case. Postmortem animal depredation is a substantial part of the taphonomic processes a body undergoes after death. While the occurrence and presentation of such injuries are well known to forensic pathologists, the morphological
- [Masses of maggots concentrated around eyes, mouth, and neck](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/masses-of-maggots-concentrated-around-eyes-mouth-and-neck/) - Maggots cause most of the body’s decomposition because the maggot will do the majority of the eating. Maggots have powerful proteolytic enzymes that aid the dissolution of tissues and facilitate penetration. The maggots are voracious and energetic, first exploring the natural passages, such as mouth and nostrils, then burrowing into the tissues. They secrete digestive
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- [This decomposed man was found suspended by a telephone cord](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/this-decomposed-man-was-found-suspended-by-a-telephone-cord/) - This decomposed man was found in the prone position, having collapsed to the ground face first near his kitchen table. He had collapsed onto electrical wiring that was extending from his computer and phone to the wall. Note how he had collapsed onto these wires and, in fact, became partially suspended by a telephone cord
- [A gaping stellate wound on the forehead](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/a-gaping-stellate-wound-on-the-forehead/) - The premise that exit wounds are larger than entrance wounds is a generality only. A man was found in early decomposition on his bed with a rifle next to his body. A gaping stellate wound on the right side of the forehead extended posteriorly to the right parietal region (Fig.1). A smaller stellate wound was
- [Decomposition showing varying degrees of putrefactive changes](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/decomposition-showing-varying-degrees-of-putrefactive-changes/) - Post-mortem decomposition showing varying degrees of putrefactive changes in the face, trunk and extremities. The image shows the contrast sometimes seen between one part of the body and another, as the right leg and lower left side of the trunk are only slightly affected. The face, neck and hands are swollen with gas. Decomposition, or
- [Multiple stab wounds to chest - suicide or homicide?](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/multiple-stab-wounds-to-chest-suicide-or-homicide/) - Poland. The body of a 36-year-old man with multiple torso wounds was found by the police in the forest some 200 m (656 feet) away from home after he was reported missing by his wife in the morning. That day the deceased was to go to work as usual but never reached it. The employer
- [Monthly Magazine May 2023](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/monthly-magazine-may-2023/) - Click here to open the May magazine Other magazines Monthly Magazine May 2025 Herman the Shocker | Monthly Magazine | No Comments Click here to open the May magazine Other magazines Monthly Magazine April 2025 Herman the Shocker | Monthly Magazine | No Comments Click here to open the April magazine Other magazines Monthly Magazine
- [Maggots on a body](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/maggots-on-a-body/) - Maggots are the larval form of flies. Flies lay their eggs in small and sometimes large bulky clusters on accessible unsubmerged areas, crevices, and cavities of the body, preferring moist areas such as the eyes, nostrils, scalp, lips, ear canals, and open wounds. Individually, these are tiny, round to ovoid, tan-white structures that resemble seeds
- [Pedestrian died after stepping in front of a moving bus](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/pedestrian-died-after-stepping-in-front-of-a-moving-bus/) - A middle-aged female pedestrian died after accidentally stepping in front of a moving bus. The cause of death was multiple injuries after getting struck by a bus. The external examination showed multiple abraded injuries, a crushing-type injury to the skull with evisceration of the brain, and degloving-type injuries to the lower limbs. The degloving-type injuries
- [Facial dissection](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/facial-dissection/) - Autopsy facial dissection is a procedure that involves the careful dissection and examination of the facial structures of a deceased individual during an autopsy. This procedure is typically performed by a pathologist or forensic specialist to help determine the cause of death, identify any injuries or trauma, and gather evidence for a criminal investigation if
- [Mummified body with cobwebs in the oral cavity](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/mummified-body-with-cobwebs-in-the-oral-cavity/) - Spain. Mummified body with cobwebs in the oral cavity. No further info. Mummification occurs in hot, dry environments. The body dehydrates and bacterial proliferation may be minimal. The skin becomes dark, dried, and leathery. The process occurs readily in the fingers and toes in dry environments, regardless of the temperature. Fig.1 Mummified body with cobwebs
- [Man located in a burnt-out car with a knife protruding from his neck](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/man-located-in-a-burnt-out-car-with-a-knife-protruding-from-his-neck/) - This middle-aged male individual was located in a burnt-out car with a knife protruding from his neck. This report only came with the medical info but not anything about the crime. The cause of death was from hemorrhage and inhalation of blood in the setting of a stab wound to the neck. The knife measured
- [Dead woman found inside a refrigerator](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/dead-woman-found-inside-a-refrigerator/) - February 2020 – San Vicente, Venezuela. The body of a woman was found inside a refrigerator in a local residence. The victim was identified as Zaima Margarita Torres Parra, 53, who was last seen on January 16 after her boyfriend visited her. The neighbors, noticing her absence, decided to call the authorities and report her
- [Defense wound on arm after getting shot in the face](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/defense-wound-on-arm-after-getting-shot-in-the-face/) - The little info I have on this one is that she was fatally shot by her son’s friend from an intermediate range. As you can see she tried to defend herself by placing her arm in front of her face. The gunshot hit her arm and her face. Looks like a shotgun wound but I’m
- [20% Off All Merch](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/20-off-all-merch-2/) - 20% discount on everything in the merch shop April 23rd – 26th 2023. You can redeem the discount in the cart checkout. Merch shop Merch shop Latest posts Man driving a Chevrolet Corvette decapitated Herman the Shocker | Accident | No Comments US - 28 July 2005. A Westchester County man died Thursday afternoon in
- [Suicide by shotgun](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/suicide-by-shotgun/) - Suicide by shotgun: entrance wound in the mouth and facial major lesions. It has been clearly established that firearm availability is linked to high mortality by suicide among individuals who had bought firearms in the recent past. A clear example is given by the fact that, among individuals who died from firearm injuries in the
- [An Unusual Death by Transcranial Stab Wound](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/an-unusual-death-by-transcranial-stab-wound/) - France. A 24-year-old man was found dead by his father lying on the ground in his yard, facedown, in a pool of blood. The handle of a knife was protruding from his forehead, firmly embedded in the bone. There was no evidence of forced entry. No notes were found at the scene. An extensive investigation
- [Man with disfigured face found dead](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/man-with-disfigured-face-found-dead/) - March 2016 – Belo Horizonte, Brazil. A 37-year-old man was found dead by his father at his residence in the city of Belo Horizonte. The deceased was lying on a mattress in a room he used as a bedroom and his face was badly disfigured. At 11 pm the night before, the father heard a
- [Man eaten by vulture catfish](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/man-eaten-by-vulture-catfish/) - A 29-year-old man was fishing when his canoe turned over and his body submerged. The body was recovered 48 h later by riverbank inhabitants. Calophysus macropterus (also known as piracatinga, vulture catfish, or zamurito) were recovered from under his clothes, probably because they are the most common fish species of the cadaverous ichthyofauna in the
- [Accidental masochistic death and sadomasochistic drawings](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/accidental-masochistic-death-and-sadomasochistic-drawings/) - Spain. This is probably a case of autoerotic activity or masochism, where the victim appears to have hanged himself. It is worth noting that the deceased is naked and has lead objects hung from his nipples, attached with wooden clothes pins. His hands are tied behind his back, although it has been confirmed that the
- [Man kills himself with a shotgun](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/man-kills-himself-with-a-shotgun/) - Spain. This individual killed himself with a shotgun. He had just killed his father, who had terminal cancer. Fig.2 illustrates how the holster is only missing the two cartridges used at the time. We can also see on Fig.3 the black mark on the shooter’s right hand caused by the gunshot residue, deposited when the
- [Autoerotic activity that ultimately led to asphyxiation](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/autoerotic-activity-that-ultimately-led-to-asphyxiation/) - Cologne, Germany. The body of a 66-year-old man was found by his wife wrapped up in plastic garbage bags in the basement. An industrial vacuum cleaner connected to the plastic bags structure was turned on when the wife arrived and had extracted air from the bags, which were tight against the body. According to statements
- [Stellate-shaped contact wound to the head](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/stellate-shaped-contact-wound-to-the-head/) - Nassau County, New York. This individual has a stellate-shaped contact wound to the head, stippling, and soot deposit. No further info. In contact gunshot wounds with bony tissue underlying the injury, the injuries are typically called a stellate wound, where the gases exit the barrel before the projectile. As a result, the gas collides with
- [Bloated body found in water](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/bloated-body-found-in-water/) - The body of this male had been in the water for approximately one week. Notice the effects of submersion and postmortem changes in the tissue. Many times it is difficult to determine the sex of bodies that have been immersed in water. A body in water generally decomposes more slowly due to the colder temperatures
- [Animal feeding on badly burned body](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/animal-feeding-on-badly-burned-body/) - Nassau County, New York. This badly burned body had been dumped at an outside location where animals fed on the cadaver. Bodies are also subject to animal feeding, indoors as well as outdoors. Animals feed off the remains of a dead human body just as they feed off any other piece of meat. Bodies that
- [Cadaver decomposition island](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/cadaver-decomposition-island/) - Cadaver decomposition island is the area of concentrated decomposition fluid surrounding decomposing remains. Associated with active decomposition is the increased release of decomposition fluid (volatile fatty acids [VFAs]) from the body, causing discoloration of the surrounding vegetation, a change in the soil pH, and an increase in nutrients available for environmental microbes. Fig.1 The cadaver
- [Postmortem predation by a dog](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/postmortem-predation-by-a-dog/) - Early postmortem predation by a dog with bite marks evident at the edge of the soft tissue defect. Postmortem animal depredation is a substantial part of the taphonomic processes a body undergoes after death. While the occurrence and presentation of such injuries are well known to forensic pathologists, the morphological appearance of these injuries may
- [Face consumed postmortem by a domestic dog](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/face-consumed-postmortem-by-a-domestic-dog/) - The individual in the images received the injuries postmortem by a domestic dog, cause of death unknown. No further info on the case. Domestic pets, such as dogs, will sometimes feed on a dead body, with large portions of soft tissue being removed. Animal predation is less commonly seen than insect predation. Because most putrefied
- [Fatal crushing injury to the head from a train](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/fatal-crushing-injury-to-the-head-from-a-train/) - This individual suffered a fatal head crushing injury from a moving train, no further info. Railroad deaths in the US totaled 757 in 2020, a decrease of more than 12% from the 2019 revised total of 862 and the lowest since 2015. Nonfatal injuries totaled 5,479, a 33% decrease from the 2019 revised total of
- [Fatal head crushing injury](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/fatal-head-crushing-injury/) - This individual suffered a fatal head crushing injury, no further info. A crushing brain injury causes damage to the brain, blood vessels, and skull, each of which can be life-threatening: A skull fracture exposes the brain to further damage by robbing the brain of its protective case. Further, fragments of the skull may puncture the
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- [Embarrassed wife finds her husband dead from autoerotic asphyxiation](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/embarrassed-wife-finds-her-husband-dead-from-autoerotic-asphyxiation/) - Knox County, Tennessee, USA. Police were called to a home residence in connection with an unresponsive man. His wife stated that she and her children had gone to a high school football game earlier that evening and upon coming home could not find her husband. After looking in the garage they began going through the
- [Bloating, skin slippage, and discoloration on decomposing remains](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/bloating-skin-slippage-and-discoloration-on-decomposing-remains/) - Associated with putrefaction is the production of gases. These gases, primarily located in the abdomen, cause the body to become distended or bloat. This bloating can cause the affected areas of the body to expand dramatically. Over time the affected areas may rupture or the gas may subside naturally. Skin slippage, or the shedding of
- [Body of decapitated and eviscerated woman](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/body-of-decapitated-and-eviscerated-woman/) - Xiangzhou, China – 2014. The body of a woman was found in a sack by a sanitation worker close to the Xiangyang East Railway Station. Inside the sack was the headless body of the woman and the head, she had also been eviscerated. Her identity was unknown. Fig.1 The woman was decapitated and eviscerated. Fig.2
- [Body found outdoors](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/body-found-outdoors/) - In December 2007, the body of a man was found on the waterfront of a lake in the outskirts of a rural area near Bonn, Germany. He had been reported missing about a month before the finding and was reported to have left a mental health institution without being dismissed. His body was clothed and
- [Monthly Magazine April 2023](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/monthly-magazine-april-2023/) - Click here to open the April magazine Other magazines Monthly Magazine May 2025 Herman the Shocker | Monthly Magazine | No Comments Click here to open the May magazine Other magazines Monthly Magazine April 2025 Herman the Shocker | Monthly Magazine | No Comments Click here to open the April magazine Other magazines Monthly Magazine
- [Man commits suicide with a circular table saw](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/man-commits-suicide-with-a-circular-table-saw/) - Slovakia. A newly widowed 79-year-old man was found dead in front of the garage of his family home, lying in a supine position between a running circular table saw and a pile of sawn wooden pallets. There was a heavy pool of blood around his head and neck. A workbench and the floor underneath the
- [Flies are often first on the scene of a dead body](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/flies-are-often-first-on-the-scene-of-a-dead-body/) - The first type of insect to arrive at a dead body is usually a blowfly (Calliphoridae), attracted by body fluids and gases. It lays its eggs within two days after death, so its stage of development – egg, larval stages, prepupal or pupal stage, adulthood – will suggest how long the corpse has been lying
- [Putrefaction with skin slippage is also associated with loss of hair](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/putrefaction-with-skin-slippage-is-also-associated-with-loss-of-hair/) - Decomposition, or putrefaction, is a combination of two processes: autolysis and bacterial action. Autolysis is the breakdown of cells and organs through an aseptic chemical process caused by intracellular enzymes. Because it is a chemical process, it is accelerated by heat, slowed by cold, and stopped by freezing. Bacterial action results in the conversion of
- [Maniac skins girlfriend - flushed her guts through the toilet](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/maniac-skins-girlfriend-flushed-her-guts-through-the-toilet/) - Mexico City, Mexico – February 9, 2020, a woman was brutally murdered by her partner who skinned and eviscerated her dead body. The bloody feminicide took place in the Vallejo neighbourhood in the Gustavo A. Madero area, a municipality in the heart of Mexico City, Mexico. Fig.1 26 year old Ingrid Escamilla Vargas. Fig.2 A
- [Tattoos can be helpful in identifying unknown bodies](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/tattoos-can-be-helpful-in-identifying-unknown-bodies/) - Moderate to marked putrefaction. Identification may sometimes be challenging with advancing decomposition. This individual had a tattoo on his left arm that was initially difficult to view due to putrefactive change. Cleaning of this area with removal of the superficial layers of skin made visualization and thus identification much easier. Fig.1 Moderate to marked putrefaction.
- [Destruction of the facial skeleton due to shotgun blast](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/destruction-of-the-facial-skeleton-due-to-shotgun-blast/) - Spain. Destruction of the facial skeleton due to shotgun blast. No further info. Shotguns differ from rifles and handguns in construction, ammunition, ballistics, and use. Rifles and handguns fire a single projectile down a rifled barrel. Shotguns have a smooth bore. Although they can fire a single projectile, they are usually employed to fire multiple
- [Destruction of the head from a fall from height](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/destruction-of-the-head-from-a-fall-from-height/) - This individual fell from a height and suffered fatal destruction of the head with a loss of a large part of the brain. It can be quite difficult to determine whether an injury is fatal or to predict the outcome in a prehospital setting. In addition to the aforementioned definitive signs of death, there are
- [Suicide by hanging](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/suicide-by-hanging/) - New Delhi, India. The incident took place in one of the guest houses in the city. The deceased was registered in the guest house as male. He was found hanging in female attire. The female attire included salwar-kammej and female undergarment-brassiere and underwear (asset of common clothing of woman). The person had a wig of
- [Stellate wound](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/stellate-wound/) - This individual has a contact-range gunshot wound on the forehead. No further info. In contact gunshot wounds with bony tissue underlying the injury, the injuries are typically called a stellate wound, where the gases exit the barrel before the projectile. As a result, the gas collides with the bone tissue, resulting in the reflection of
- [Woman sexually assaulted and neck cut open with a butcher knife](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/woman-sexually-assaulted-and-neck-cut-open-with-a-butcher-knife/) - Pasadena, Texas, 1975. The nude body of 22-year-old Deborah Elizabeth Hester was found strangled in her apartment. She was discovered on the bed in her ground-floor apartment. She had been raped and anally sodomized. The victim showed bruising to the vaginal area as well as rectal tears. The vaginal and rectal smears were positive for
- [Man accidentally pulled into a woodchipper](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/man-accidentally-pulled-into-a-woodchipper/) - Larimer County, Loveland, Colorado, USA. The decedent and one employee were trimming trees on private residential property. The decedent was disposing of cut limbs via a commercial woodchipper; his employee was in an aerial bucket-lift, trimming and dropping limbs. The employee observed that the decedent appeared to be drawn into the feeding mechanism of the
- [Man tied down with electrical cords and murdered in his home](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/man-tied-down-with-electrical-cords-and-murdered-in-his-home/) - Australia – This middle-aged male individual was assaulted in his home. When the individual was located his ankles were tied together and there was a cord tied tightly around his neck. In addition to multiple skin injuries to the face, the individual had an electrical cord around the neck. There were indentations associated with the
- [Multiple fractures of the facial bones with deformity](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/multiple-fractures-of-the-facial-bones-with-deformity/) - This individual suffered a fatal head crushing injury, no further info. A crushing brain injury causes damage to the brain, blood vessels, and skull, each of which can be life-threatening: A skull fracture exposes the brain to further damage by robbing the brain of its protective case. Further, fragments of the skull may puncture the
- [Decomposition of the entire body](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/decomposition-of-the-entire-body/) - Decomposition of the entire body, including discoloration, skin slippage, bloating, mummification of lower arms, legs, and thighs, and marbling of abdomen and thighs and near-total detachment of scalp with hair. Decomposition, or putrefaction, is a combination of two processes: autolysis and bacterial action. Autolysis is the breakdown of cells and organs through an aseptic chemical
- [Bulging eyes, lips and face with protrusion of the tongue](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/bulging-eyes-lips-and-face-with-protrusion-of-the-tongue/) - Note the bulging eyes, lips and face with protrusion of the tongue on this decomposing individual, all related to the decomposition process. No further info about this case. Decomposition, or putrefaction, is a combination of two processes: autolysis and bacterial action. Autolysis is the breakdown of cells and organs through an aseptic chemical process caused
- [Shotgun shot wound](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/shotgun-shot-wound/) - This individual has a shotgun shot wound. A large central defect is surrounded by smaller shotgun shot wounds in the skin, no further info. The head is the most common location for a suicidal shotgun wound (74%), followed by the chest (20%) and then the abdomen (6%). In head wounds, the most common location was
- [Fatal freight elevator accident](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/fatal-freight-elevator-accident/) - South Korea. A 53-year-old man was found dead on the roof of a freight elevator car installed on an outer surface of a four-story building in the autumn. The decedent was a thread reseller. The factory in the building asked him to take back several boxes of defective thread he had supplied. And he went
- [Destruction of most of the head from a contact shotgun wound](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/destruction-of-most-of-the-head-from-a-contact-shotgun-wound-2/) - Destruction of most of the head from a contact shotgun wound. There was no further info about this case, so here’s just some general info: At close range, the shotgun is the most formidable and destructive of all small arms. For birdshot and buckshot loads, the severity and lethality of a shotgun wound depends on
- [Fatal assault and dismemberment with a knife and hatchet](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/fatal-assault-and-dismemberment-with-a-knife-and-hatchet/) - Australia. This male individual died from sharp-force injuries to the chest and left wrist in the setting of neck compression in an assault involving dismemberment with a knife and hatchet. Situated on the chest, there was an injury complex comprising three incised stab-type injuries that entered the chest and were associated with some linear superficial
- [Subscribe To Get The Latest Monthly Magazine](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/subscribe-to-get-the-latest-monthly-magazine-6/) - The March 2023 issue is out With a monthly subscription the Shocker brings you unfiltered views of reality and educational content from the world of crime, accidents, and forensics. Each magazine has about 50 pages of new and old content from the vault of the Shocker and is only in a digital download format.
- [Body recovered after 14 days in a well-heated residence](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/body-recovered-after-14-days-in-a-well-heated-residence/) - This body was recovered after fourteen days in a well-heated residence. The necks of the teeth display ‘pink’ tooth discoloration. Identification was accomplished dentally. No further info. The most common crime scene where a forensic dentist will be required is that where a corpse is present. An area in which the dentist may be particularly
- [Man died after choking on scrambled eggs](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/man-died-after-choking-on-scrambled-eggs/) - This man died after choking on scrambled eggs which can be seen draining out of the mouth, no more info. Choking (internal airway obstruction) occurs when there is a blockage of the air passages that transfer air from the mouth and nose to the lung tissues. Obstruction may occur at any level from the back
- [Two military pilots killed in a helicopter induced propeller accident](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/two-military-pilots-killed-in-a-helicopter-induced-propeller-accident/) - February 14th 2000 – Mendig, Germany. Following routine maintenance, a Sikorsky CH-53G military helicopter was returned to service. Due to negligence, some hoses had not been connected correctly. The wrongly connected hoses resulted in a malfunction, causing the rotor blades of the helicopter to smash through the windows of the helicopter cockpit. Both the pilot
- [Woman's face eaten postmortem by her dog](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/womans-face-eaten-postmortem-by-her-dog/) - A 40-year-old woman was found dead in her apartment lying supine on the bed and the upper trunk and legs were fully covered by clothing. The head and neck were almost totally skeletonized apart from a small portion of subcutaneous tissue and facial muscles left on the cheek-bones and chin. The lower partial artificial denture
- [Contact wound of the right temple](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/contact-wound-of-the-right-temple/) - Contact wound of the right temple with evisceration of the brain. Note soot at the entrance site. In the typical contact wound of the head, the entrance site is easy to locate, as large quantities of soot will be found at it. The edges of the wound will be seared and blackened. The entrance is
- [Monthly Magazine March 2023](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/monthly-magazine-march-2023/) - Click here to open the March magazine Other magazines Monthly Magazine May 2025 Herman the Shocker | Monthly Magazine | No Comments Click here to open the May magazine Other magazines Monthly Magazine April 2025 Herman the Shocker | Monthly Magazine | No Comments Click here to open the April magazine Other magazines Monthly Magazine
- [Woman shot in the face at close range with a rifle](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/woman-shot-in-the-face-at-close-range-with-a-rifle/) - This woman was shot in the face at close range with a bullet from a 30.06 rifle in a homicide. No further info. In the case of a high-powered firearm, the amount of force generated by the blast is so large that a shot fired with the weapon in contact with the head causes extensive
- [Stab wounds into the victim’s back](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/stab-wounds-into-the-victims-back/) - New York – Stab wounds into the victim’s back made with a large bladed knife. No further info about this case. Stabbing wounds are piercing wounds, which may extend through the tissue and bone into the vital organs. They are caused by relatively sharp-pointed instruments such as knives, screwdrivers, ice picks, daggers, scissors, or pieces
- [Multiple stab wounds into chest with barbecue fork](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/multiple-stab-wounds-into-chest-with-barbecue-fork/) - Chicago, Illinois. The victim of a lust murder, who had been stabbed multiple times in the chest with a barbecue fork. Note that the offender left the fork inserted into her chest below the left breast. She was also strangled with ligature and stabbed in the neck with a dinner fork. Fig.1 The victim of
- [Dumped body](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/dumped-body/) - Dumped body (Illinois State Police case Highway 64). Animal scavenging on face and left arm. This victim was subsequently identified as a prostitute and drug user with arrests in both Illinois and Missouri. Fig.1 Dumped body. The phenomenon of postmortem animal interference with human bodies or their remains is a substantial part of the taphonomic
- [Postmortem animal predation by a cat](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/postmortem-animal-predation-by-a-cat/) - This individual died and was attacked postmortem by a cat, no further info. Postmortem animal depredation is a substantial part of the taphonomic processes a body undergoes after death. While the occurrence and presentation of such injuries are well known to forensic pathologists, the morphological appearance of these injuries may be misinterpreted by police officers
- [15% Off All Merch](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/15-off-all-merch/) - 15% discount on everything in the merch shop February 23rd – 27th 2023. Merch shop Merch shop Latest posts Man driving a Chevrolet Corvette decapitated Herman the Shocker | Accident | No Comments US - 28 July 2005. A Westchester County man died Thursday afternoon in a crash on Route 287.… The Shocker no.39 is
- [Fatal chop injuries after falling off a tractor](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/fatal-chop-injuries-after-falling-off-a-tractor/) - This victim fell off a tractor and sustained severe chop injuries when he was overrun by the chopping implement, no further info about this case. Injuries produced by pointed objects or objects with sharp edges are referred to as “sharp force injuries.” Sharp force injuries are characterized by a relatively well-defined traumatic separation of tissues,
- [Shotgun blast to the head](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/shotgun-blast-to-the-head/) - Spain. Middle facial injury with cranial rupture caused by shotgun blast. No further info. Despite the extreme amount of cranial destruction, careful and meticulous reapproximation of the calvarium, scalp, and facial tears allows for the demonstration and confirmation of a frontal entrance wound. Reconstruction of the wound can be very important to determine particular wound
- [The murder of a 43-year-old Pontiac woman](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/the-murder-of-a-43-year-old-pontiac-woman/) - Pontiac, Michigan, US. On Tuesday, July 11, 1995, the nude and battered body of Margaret Midkiff, a 43-year-old, white female, was discovered in the basement of her home by her 21-year-old son, Jeremy. Her daughter, Angela, became concerned when she couldn’t reach her mother by phone. She had gone to the house earlier that day.
- [Woman committed suicide by hanging herself in her bathroom](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/woman-committed-suicide-by-hanging-herself-in-her-bathroom/) - Germany. A 45-year-old woman committed suicide by hanging herself in her bathroom. The string was attached to the top frame of the shower stall. The string consists of several parallel and spiral turns of a green plastic clothesline. The feet were not in contact with the ground. Her face was pale and the protrusion of
- [Google says my content is shocking!](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/google-says-my-content-is-shocking/) - If I had a dollar for every time I’ve received a notification of a violation of a content policy, terms of services, or guidelines I would be a trillionaire. Google has disabled all the ads on my website, this is because they’ve decided that the content is shocking and includes nudity. It doesn’t matter to
- [Alabama woman stabbed and her throat cut](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/alabama-woman-stabbed-and-her-throat-cut/) - Homewood, Alabama, US. On March 9, 1990, Homewood Police responded to a report of a murder from the victim’s roommate Melinda at the Raleigh Villas Apartments at 409-C Raleigh Avenue. The victim, Toni Maria Lim, lived on the second floor of the apartment complex with her roommate Melinda, who had been away for a few
- [Contact rifle wound of the head](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/contact-rifle-wound-of-the-head/) - In some contact rifle wounds of the head, the entrance may be difficult to locate because of the massive destruction. In the case of a high-powered firearm, the amount of force generated by the blast is so large that a shot fired with the weapon in contact with the head causes extensive destruction. Head injuries
- [Typical stellate shaped entry wound showing tattooing effect](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/typical-stellate-shaped-entry-wound-showing-tattooing-effect/) - In contact gunshot wounds with bony tissue underlying the injury, the injuries are typically called a stellate wound, where the gases exit the barrel before the projectile. As a result, the gas collides with the bone tissue, resulting in the reflection of the gases. This gas causes the expansion of subcutaneous space and pressure, which
- [Monthly Magazine October 2022](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/monthly-magazine-october-2022/) - Click here to open the October magazine Other magazines Monthly Magazine May 2025 Herman the Shocker | Monthly Magazine | No Comments Click here to open the May magazine Other magazines Monthly Magazine April 2025 Herman the Shocker | Monthly Magazine | No Comments Click here to open the April magazine Other magazines Monthly Magazine
- [Monthly Magazine November 2022](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/monthly-magazine-november-2022/) - Click here to open the November magazine Other magazines Monthly Magazine May 2025 Herman the Shocker | Monthly Magazine | No Comments Click here to open the May magazine Other magazines Monthly Magazine April 2025 Herman the Shocker | Monthly Magazine | No Comments Click here to open the April magazine Other magazines Monthly Magazine
- [Monthly Magazine December 2022](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/monthly-magazine-december-2022/) - Click here to open the December magazine Other magazines Monthly Magazine May 2025 Herman the Shocker | Monthly Magazine | No Comments Click here to open the May magazine Other magazines Monthly Magazine April 2025 Herman the Shocker | Monthly Magazine | No Comments Click here to open the April magazine Other magazines Monthly Magazine
- [Monthly Magazine January 2023](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/monthly-magazine-january-2023/) - Click here to open the January magazine Other magazines Monthly Magazine May 2025 Herman the Shocker | Monthly Magazine | No Comments Click here to open the May magazine Other magazines Monthly Magazine April 2025 Herman the Shocker | Monthly Magazine | No Comments Click here to open the April magazine Other magazines Monthly Magazine
- [Helium suicide](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/helium-suicide/) - Poland. A grandmother found the corpse of her grandson in an apartment in a block of flats in one of the city settlements. The corpse was in the room and laid next to the bed, the anterior surface of the body facing the ground. On the man’s head, there was a tightly closed plastic bag
- [12-gauge shotgun suicide](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/12-gauge-shotgun-suicide/) - This individual placed a 12-gauge shotgun against his right temple and pulled the trigger. As can be noted, there are scorch marks around the entry wound near the right ear. Shotgun wounds to the head, especially those involving large-gauge shotguns generally result in enormous damage to the head. Head injuries from shotguns are typically quite
- [Man killed by train](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/man-killed-by-train/) - India. This individual died when he was hit by a train, no further info. In 2020 more than 13,000 train accidents across India have killed nearly 12,000 railway passengers, according to a recent report by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB). The latest statistics mean that on average, 32 people lost their lives every day
- [A murder case showing sex-related mutilation](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/a-murder-case-showing-sex-related-mutilation/) - Los Angeles. A murder case showing sex-related mutilation. No further info about this case. A lust murder is a homicide in which the offender searches for sexual satisfaction by killing someone. Lust murder is synonymous with the paraphilic term erotophonophilia, which is sexual arousal or gratification contingent on the death of a human being. The
- [Multiple injuries on a woman from an attack by three large dogs](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/multiple-injuries-on-a-woman-from-an-attack-by-three-large-dogs/) - Dallas, Texas, US. This image shows multiple injuries on a young adult female from an attack by three large dogs. Note that the hair has been removed in order to document the injuries. Certain wild and domestic animal attacks can cause death by a combination of sharp and blunt injuries, with possible contributing asphyxial mechanisms.
- [Swelling of the scrotum and abdomen from putrefaction and accumulation of gases](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/swelling-of-the-scrotum-and-abdomen-from-putrefaction-and-accumulation-of-gases/) - Swelling of the scrotum and abdomen occurs with putrefaction as gases accumulate from bacterial action. Numerous maggots can also be seen on the surface of the body. Usually the first external naked-eye sign of putrefaction is discoloration of the lower abdominal wall, most often in the right iliac fossa where the bacteria-laden caecum lies fairly
- [Bodies removed from water show excessive gas production](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/bodies-removed-from-water-show-excessive-gas-production/) - Bodies removed from water show excessive gas production and tissue discoloration, owing to explosive bacterial gas production. The gas causes the bodies to bloat excessively, which can cause an explosion or sudden rupture of the tense abdomen. The pressure may cause the eye globes and tongue to protrude. Fig.1 Bodies removed from water show excessive
- [Elderly woman was located in a state of advanced decomposition](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/elderly-woman-was-located-in-a-state-of-advanced-decomposition/) - Australia. This elderly woman was located in a state of advanced decomposition. Because of decomposition the body was not visually identifiable. She was identified through x-ray comparisons. An important duty of coroners, medical examiners, and forensic pathologists involves the identification (ID) of deceased individuals. While this process does not usually present many difficulties, the consequences
- [Disorganized offender acts out with victim’s body](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/disorganized-offender-acts-out-with-victims-body/) - Township of Van Buren, Michigan. Police received an anonymous call reporting a body of a female in an area used as an illegal dumpsite. Patrol officers responded and stopped any vehicles within the area. The officers upon their arrival observed a nude, light-skinned, black female, who appeared to be approximately 25 to 35 years of
- [Facial Allograft Technique in Facial Reconstruction](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/facial-allograft-technique-in-facial-reconstruction/) - Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. Composite facial allografts have become increasingly popular in the reconstruction of complex facial defects. Good to excellent aesthetic results can be achieved, particularly when a foundation of donor skeleton has been transferred. A conventional craniofacial technique (monobloc osteotomy) can be used to transfer a thin monocortical foundation of bone,
- [Complex suicide with black powder muzzle loading derringer](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/complex-suicide-with-black-powder-muzzle-loading-derringer/) - Czech Republic. A 39-year-old man was discovered dead in the bathroom of his house, hanging by the neck with a conspicuous atypical gunshot entrance wound in the right temporal region. A black powder percussion double barreled handgun was found on his left thigh. The hanging was incomplete—the victim was found in sitting position with the
- [Head split open after fall from Ferris wheel](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/head-split-open-after-fall-from-ferris-wheel/) - Germany. On a rainy September day, a 32-year-old man was working on a 50-m (164 ft) high Ferris wheel, which had to be dismantled after the end of a local carnival. He was working on the axis of the Ferris wheel at a height of 28 m (92 ft). He wore a safety harness and
- [A hard-contact gunshot wound of the head](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/a-hard-contact-gunshot-wound-of-the-head/) - A hard-contact wound of the head with the central entrance wound containing a marginal abrasion, soot, and searing on the margins of the wound, and distortion by a large stellate tear. The tearing is caused by the gun discharging in contact with the skin and the hot gases escaping into the tissue between the skin
- [Subscribe To Get The Latest Monthly Magazine](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/subscribe-to-get-the-latest-monthly-magazine-5/) - The February 2023 issue is out With a monthly subscription the Shocker brings you unfiltered views of reality and educational content from the world of crime, accidents, and forensics. Each magazine has about 50 pages of new and old content from the vault of the Shocker and is only in a digital download format.
- [Raccoon scavenging on a human corpse](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/raccoon-scavenging-on-a-human-corpse/) - The image is of a body at the bodyfarm at The University of Tennessee Anthropology Research Facility. The first day of scavenging on this individual occurred 17 days after late fall placement. The first evidence of raccoon activity was scratches on the right scapular region, but no points of entry were observed, and no oviposition
- [Fatal bleeding from a laceration of superficial temporal artery](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/fatal-bleeding-from-a-laceration-of-superficial-temporal-artery/) - Toronto, Canada. A 34-year-old intoxicated male was found dead in his apartment. On scene inspection, the deceased body was found in the sitting position on a chair, and a massive arterial blood pattern was observed at the scene. First responders and the coroner who visited the scene considered this case as criminally suspicious due to
- [Man commits suicide by cutting his neck with a cut-off saw](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/man-commits-suicide-by-cutting-his-neck-with-a-cut-off-saw/) - South Korea. Loosely translated from Korean. The deceased is a 48-year-old man who had been suffering from schizophrenia and mental issues after serving in the military. He was unemployed at the time of the incident. Eight days before his death, the man came home with a large box and did not eat. When his mother
- [Skeletonization of the head](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/skeletonization-of-the-head-2/) - Skeletonization of the head, neck, and the left hand due to animal predation in a body that was found in a forest. Skeletonization in bodies found outdoors can be partially a result of predation by animals. Depending on altitude, there may be insects, such as flies or beetles that feed on soft tissue. Larger animals
- [Self-ligature strangulation by utilizing a recliner](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/self-ligature-strangulation-by-utilizing-a-recliner/) - South Korea. Most cases of ligature strangulation are generally homicides, and deaths due to suicide or accident are rare. Present here is a very rare case of a man using a recliner sofa as an aid for strangulation. The deceased, a man in his 50s, cut his wrists using an industrial cutter several times and
- [Extreme case of sadomasochism](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/extreme-case-of-sadomasochism/) - Extreme case of sadomasochism. This man inserted large dildos into his anus and with the trapeze-like contraption could produce in-and-out movements by flexing his knees. The cause of death was a heart attack. sadomasochism, also called S&M, SM, or S/M, deriving pleasure, often of a sexual nature, from the infliction of physical or psychological pain
- [Shotgun wound to the head](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/shotgun-wound-to-the-head/) - This individual has a 12 gauge single-shot shotgun wound to the side of the head. Found supine on snow, with end of barrel held in left hand. He was suffering from depression. Fig.1 Fig.2 Fig.3 The head is the most common location for a suicidal shotgun wound (74%), followed by the chest (20%) and then
- [Patricide and overkill](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/patricide-and-overkill/) - Italy. An 83-year-old man, killed by his son, was found dead in the dining room of his apartment, with plenty of blood staining the surrounding floor and the walls. Following the murder, the offender phoned his sister and brother-in-law to reassure them that “everything had been fixed”. He then rang the neighbor’s doorbell, but they
- [Decomposed sclera showing hemorrhagic discoloration of the whites of the eyes](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/decomposed-sclera-showing-hemorrhagic-discoloration-of-the-whites-of-the-eyes/) - Decomposed sclera showing hemorrhagic discoloration of the whites of the eyes. This is sometimes misinterpreted as true injury. There was no more info about this case. Subconjunctival bleeding, also known as subconjunctival hemorrhage or subconjunctival haemorrhage, is bleeding from a small blood vessel over the whites of the eye. It results in a red spot
- [Body dumped near LA and scavenged by animals](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/body-dumped-near-la-and-scavenged-by-animals/) - A body was dumped in a wooded area near Los Angeles. By the time it was discovered about 24 hours after the killing, animals had already attacked and eaten a significant amount of it. No further info. Postmortem animal interference of human corpses or remains is a well known phenomenon to forensic death investigators, the
- [Decomposition & bagged hands](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/decomposition-bagged-hands/) - In this case, police and scene investigators were suspicious that this individual was killed by blunt force injuries to the head, so the hands were bagged and the case handled as a homicide. The bagging of the hands is to preserve evidence. The cause of death was coronary artery disease, and these are the changes
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- [Attempt to dispose of body by mutilation and disarticulation](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/attempt-to-dispose-of-body-by-mutilation-and-disarticulation/) - On February 21, 1997, at approximately 4:09 p.m., the Pottawatomie County, Kansas, Sheriff’s Department took a missing person’s report on a 66-year-old woman named Rose. She was the grandmother of 26 and a great-grandmother of five. She had never remarried and had lived in Westmoreland, Kansas, for 25 years. Rose kept herself busy with the
- [Suicide with a hunting rifle](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/suicide-with-a-hunting-rifle/) - This individual committed suicide by shooting himself in the head with a hunting rifle, no further info on this case. Head injuries from shotguns and high-powered rifles are typically quite devastating, often with extensive soft tissue destruction, skull fractures, and pulpifaction of the brain. Occasionally, the brain is largely expelled from the cranial vault and
- [This 66-year-old man committed suicide after being told he had cancer](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/this-66-year-old-man-committed-suicide-after-being-told-he-had-cancer/) - Billings, Montana – This 66-year-old man committed suicide after being told he had cancer. The entrance of the gunshot wound was in the center of the left upper eyelid and was a contact gunshot wound. On the left temple was a blowout from the hot gases coming out of the muzzle, the blowout entered the
- [Woman's face eaten postmortem by an animal](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/womans-face-eaten-postmortem-by-an-animal/) - The woman in this photo passed away, and an animal in the household started to eat her face postmortem, no further info. Postmortem animal interference of human corpses or remains is a well known phenomenon to forensic death investigators, the morphological appearance of these injuries can be misinterpreted by police officers investigating the suspected crime
- [The impact of upright position on decomposition](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/the-impact-of-upright-position-on-decomposition/) - Decomposition studies have elucidated many different factors affecting the rate and process of decomposition. However, no study has previously investigated the potential effects of posture on the decomposition process, whether the upright posture affects the rate of decomposition. This research project was conducted at the Anthropological Research Facility at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville
- [Postmortem carnivore activity around the mouth of a decedent](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/postmortem-carnivore-activity-around-the-mouth-of-a-decedent/) - A typical area of carnivore activity centered around the mouth of a decedent can be seen in this image, no further info. Postmortem animal interference of human corpses or remains is a well known phenomenon to forensic death investigators, the morphological appearance of these injuries can be misinterpreted by police officers investigating the suspected crime
- [Explosive suicidal head destruction](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/explosive-suicidal-head-destruction/) - November 2017 – Belo Horizonte, Brazil. A 57-year-old female was found dead in a room in the residence where she lived. According to reports, the neighbours heard an explosion from her apartment. The body was discovered by her daughter who also lived in the apartment. The victim’s brother reported that she had previously attempted suicide,
- [Woman commits suicide by cutting off her foot](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/woman-commits-suicide-by-cutting-off-her-foot/) - South Korea. Loosely translated from Korean. The deceased was a 61-year-old unemployed woman who lived alone. The mother of the deceased person could not communicate with her, so she visited her residence and unlocked the door lock on the front door, but it was locked with a shackle from the inside of the door. She
- [Badly decomposed bodies are typically not visually identifiable](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/badly-decomposed-bodies-are-typically-not-visually-identifiable/) - Badly decomposed bodies like the one shown here are typically not visually identifiable. I have no further info about this case, but here’s some knowledge about identification of human remains. An important duty of coroners, medical examiners, and forensic pathologists involves the identification (ID) of deceased individuals. While this process does not usually present many
- [Living with the dead](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/living-with-the-dead/) - August 2016 – Italy. The police was called to a villa, following the reporting by neighbors of malodorous exhalations(foul odor) from the residence. The police were received by an old woman in evident confusion, whose clothes and appearance, not to mention personal hygiene, showed her to be in a very neglected state. The woman claimed
- [Polish man skinned his father and wore his face as a mask](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/polish-man-skinned-his-father-and-wore-his-face-as-a-mask/) - I colorized the original black and white images. Poland, 1999. A 26-year-old man killed his father by multiple puncture wounds to the chest and neck using a sharpened screwdriver. He lured his father into the cellar and, before inflicting the fatal strokes, he tried in vain to electrocute him using a stun gun. After this,
- [Stippling around gunshot entrance wounds of the face](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/stippling-around-gunshot-entrance-wounds-of-the-face/) - This individual has stippling around the gunshot entrance wounds of the face, intermediate range, no further info. Stippling (or powder tattooing) is red to orange or brownish punctate abrasions surrounding the entrance wounds as a result of pieces of gunpowder expelled from the barrel and striking the skin. Soot deposition is due to the carbon
- [Self-inflicted explosive death by detonating a firecracker in the mouth](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/self-inflicted-explosive-death-by-detonating-a-firecracker-in-the-mouth/) - January 2017 – Pretoria, South Africa. A 76-year-old Caucasian man was admitted to a medico-legal postmortem examination after suffering severe blast-induced craniofacial injuries due to the detonation of a firework inside his mouth. The event took place in a corridor inside the Tshwane municipal court. According to witness reports, the decedent retrieved an object from
- [Fatal carbon monoxide toxicity after a car left running inside the garage](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/fatal-carbon-monoxide-toxicity-after-a-car-left-running-inside-the-garage/) - Four friends came from South America to vacation for a week (Probably Florida c.a. 2000). When one of the visitors failed to return to work in South America early the following week, worried family members called another woman who went to the vacation house to check on the four visitors. A blue car was parked
- [A 39-year-old prostitute stabbed, beaten, and skinned](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/a-39-year-old-prostitute-stabbed-beaten-and-skinned/) - A 39-year-old prostitute stabbed and beaten. Nipples cut off and “skinned” in pubic and perineal region. No further info about this case. Sexual homicide is a rare crime that represents only a small proportion of homicides committed every year. Despite the rarity of these offenses, often monopolize media headlines and have the unique ability to
- [The dynamics of a firearm discharged into the mouth](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/the-dynamics-of-a-firearm-discharged-into-the-mouth/) - In these intraoral gunshot wounds, note the tissue tears extending from the sides of the mouth. These tears result from the large amount of gases exiting the end of the barrel at high pressures. In contrast to the head, contact shotgun wounds of the torso often have a fairly innocuous appearance, likely related to the
- [Accidental shooting or murder?](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/accidental-shooting-or-murder/) - Cleveland, Ohio, USA. Police were summoned to a home of a woman who reported that there had been a shooting. The victim, a 26-year-old white male, was a friend of the woman. He had been watching the woman’s children while she went out drinking with a couple of other males. When the police arrived, they
- [Dissection of the Head](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/dissection-of-the-head/) - The head must be slightly raised with appropriate supports. There is no one correct device; each autopsy surgeon prefers his or her own method. A No. 22 blade on a long scalpel holder should be used to incise the whole scalp from the outside. Before the incision is made, a generous sample of hair should
- [Skeletonization and mummification](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/skeletonization-and-mummification/) - Mummification occurs in hot, dry environments. The body dehydrates and bacterial proliferation may be minimal. The skin becomes dark, dried, and leathery. The process occurs readily in the fingers and toes in dry environments, regardless of the temperature. Most mummified bodies are found in the summer months or in hot, dry climates. Hot, dry conditions
- [Subscribe To Get The Latest Monthly Magazine](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/subscribe-to-get-the-latest-monthly-magazine-4/) - The January 2023 issue is out With a monthly subscription the Shocker brings you unfiltered views of reality and educational content from the world of crime, accidents, and forensics. Each magazine has about 50 pages of new and old content from the vault of the Shocker and is only in a digital download format.
- [Destruction of most of the head from a contact shotgun wound](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/destruction-of-most-of-the-head-from-a-contact-shotgun-wound/) - Destruction of most of the head from a contact shotgun wound with preservation of the avulsed brain (next to the shotgun in the foreground). No further info about this case. Head injuries from shotguns and high-powered rifles are typically quite devastating, often with extensive soft tissue destruction, skull fractures, and pulpifaction of the brain. Occasionally,
- [Female autoerotic death](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/female-autoerotic-death/) - North Carolina, USA. The body of a white female, 33 years old, who had recently been laid off from work, was discovered by an acquaintance, who became concerned when she couldn’t contact her. The victim’s friend, who had a key to the apartment, tried to get in, but a deadbolt had been secured, which could
- [Missing man found dead and dehydrated by his Lexus](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/missing-man-found-dead-and-dehydrated-by-his-lexus/) - From the very little info I found, this happened in 2015 in Saudi Arabia, this guy had been missing for a week and was found dead and dehydrated in the desert by his car. Dehydration occurs when you use or lose more fluid than you take in, and your body doesn’t have enough water and
- [An unusual case of murder-suicide with a single gunshot](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/an-unusual-case-of-murder-suicide-with-a-single-gunshot/) - Italy. When a 38-year-old policeman did not arrive at work and could not be reached by telephone, two colleagues suspected an accident and entered his house opening the door with a spare key. In the bedroom, they found the man lying lifeless on the right part of the bed in a supine position and the
- [Identification of badly charred and burned remains](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/identification-of-badly-charred-and-burned-remains/) - In this particular case, the badly charred and burned remains of the victim of a kidnapping, rape, and murder were found in a wooded area. Although the authorities believed they had found the missing victim, they would require the services of a forensic odontologist to assist in providing positive identification based on dental records. Dentition
- [Death from a gunshot wound to the neck](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/death-from-a-gunshot-wound-to-the-neck/) - This middle-aged individual was involved in an altercation with another male relating to the manufacture of amphetamines. Circumstantial evidence indicated that the deceased was shot with a 12-gauge, bolt-action, sawn-off shotgun. The firearm was not located. The cause of death was from a gunshot wound to the neck. Fig.1 Right lateral view showing a large
- [I got this way from drinking beer](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/i-got-this-way-from-drinking-beer/) - This individual who was an alcoholic was found dead, and in the bloating stage of decomposition. The t-shirt reads “I got this way from drinking beer” and seems to be quite accurate, but I have no further info about this case or cause of death. Fig.1 I got this way from drinking beer. At the
- [Man commits suicide by cutting his throat](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/man-commits-suicide-by-cutting-his-throat/) - This man committed suicide by cutting his throat while he was sitting on a bed opposite his own bed. Spurting down blood on his T-shirt and blood splatters on the bedside table. He completed the process in his own bed. A paper cutter blade was used. Hesitation marks were found. No further info. Hesitation, or
- [Multiple stabs on the back from the same knife](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/multiple-stabs-on-the-back-from-the-same-knife/) - This deceased individual has multiple stab wounds on the back from the same knife, showing differing shapes and sizes. No further info. The dimensions of the knife may be a vital part of the investigation of homicide when the weapon has been removed from the scene by the assailant. The pathologist can sometimes assist the
- [Suicide by Detonation of Intraoral Firecracker](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/suicide-by-detonation-of-intraoral-firecracker/) - Detroit, MI. USA – A 21-year-old man was noted by family members to go into the garage behind their house, and moments later, there was an explosion. His mother found him unresponsive on the garage floor with massive trauma to his head. He had a medical history of depression with a previous suicide attempt by
- [Decomposing body of a woman discovered in a bathroom](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/decomposing-body-of-a-woman-discovered-in-a-bathroom/) - The decomposing body of a woman was discovered in a bathroom in Indonesia, no further info. Putrefaction begins immediately upon death and usually becomes noticeable within 24 hours. As soon as death occurs, the bacteria or microorganisms within the intestinal tract escape from the bowel into the other tissues of the body. As they grow,
- [Postmortem mutilation by dogs](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/postmortem-mutilation-by-dogs/) - This individual died and was attacked postmortem by dogs, no further info. Postmortem animal depredation is a substantial part of the taphonomic processes a body undergoes after death. While the occurrence and presentation of such injuries are well known to forensic pathologists, the morphological appearance of these injuries may be misinterpreted by police officers or
- [Postmortem animal activity by mice](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/postmortem-animal-activity-by-mice/) - This old man died and was then partially consumed by some mice, no further info. Postmortem animal interference of human corpses or remains is a well known phenomenon to forensic death investigators, the morphological appearance of these injuries can be misinterpreted by police officers investigating the suspected crime scene or by the consulted medical practitioner.
- [Top of the head blown away from shotgun blast in the mouth](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/top-of-the-head-blown-away-from-shotgun-blast-in-the-mouth/) - This suicide shows the devastating result of a shotgun blast in the mouth, which resulted in the top of the head being blown away. No further info. In gunshot injuries in soft parts of the body, especially in the brain, the bullet can produce a considerable explosive effect, which is greatest with unjacketed or soft-nosed
- [Postmortem predation by a clowder of domestic cats](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/postmortem-predation-by-a-clowder-of-domestic-cats/) - Australia. A 69-year-old man was found lying on the floor at his home address(Fig. 1). According to the police report every room was filled with refuse and “thirty or so cats” were resident in the house. The body showed signs of extensive post mortem animal predation and a cat was actually present within the chest
- [Bulging face with protrusion of the tongue](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/bulging-face-with-protrusion-of-the-tongue/) - Note the bulging face with protrusion of the tongue on these decomposing individuals, all related to the decomposition process. No further info. Decomposition, or putrefaction, is a combination of two processes: autolysis and bacterial action. Autolysis is the breakdown of cells and organs through an aseptic chemical process caused by intracellular enzymes. Because it is
- [Catastrophic disruption of the head after a distant range discharge](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/catastrophic-disruption-of-the-head-after-a-distant-range-discharge/) - Catastrophic disruption of the head after a distant range discharge. Homicide with a 30-06 Springfield rifle. Note petal like outward disruption of the head in all planes with expulsion of much of the brain. After reconstruction, the entry wound is now evident. All elongated curvilinear lacerations lead to a circular defect overlying the left mid-forehead
- [Four people died when their light plane crashed into water](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/four-people-died-when-their-light-plane-crashed-into-water/) - Australia – 2016. Four elderly adults died in a light-plane accident. The light plane crashed into water. Male A: There were multiple abrasions, bruises, and lacerations over the body. There was marked disruption of the head, predominantly around the left to lower aspect of the face. There was a large defect measuring up to 20
- [Eviscerated woman with a large soda bottle thrust into her abdominal cavity](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/eviscerated-woman-with-a-large-soda-bottle-thrust-into-her-abdominal-cavity/) - The partially clad body of a 22-year-old female, who had been beaten and sexually mutilated, was discovered in her apartment. She had been savagely beaten on the head with a baseball bat and her throat had been slashed. Next to the body was a blood-stained drinking glass. A lip print in blood on the rim
- [The catastrophic effect of an intraoral discharge](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/the-catastrophic-effect-of-an-intraoral-discharge/) - The catastrophic effect of an intraoral discharge. The head has completely opened up in a petal like fashion. Close examination shows the cerebellar hemispheres in situ, as is frequently the case. No further info. Head injuries from shotguns and high-powered rifles are typically quite devastating, often with extensive soft tissue destruction, skull fractures, and pulpifaction
- [Contact gunshot wound to the eye](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/contact-gunshot-wound-to-the-eye/) - Contact gunshot wound to the eye. Note the lacerations of the eyelid and eye globe with soot deposition at the adjacent skin and within the wound track. No backstory. A contact shot is defined as a gunshot wound incurred while the muzzle of the firearm is in direct contact with the body at the moment
- [Passengers head crushed in car crash](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/passengers-head-crushed-in-car-crash/) - Two vehicles collided in an intersection. Vehicle 2 collided with Vehicle 1 on the passenger side. A male passenger (front seat) in Vehicle 1 was ejected from the car and found deceased face down. The cause of death was from head injury sustained in a motor vehicle incident. The widespread nature of the injuries is
- [Suicidal smothering](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/suicidal-smothering/) - New York, NY. This photo depicts a victim who has been smothered. She committed suicide by placing a plastic bag over her head and tying it around her neck. No further info about this case. Smothering and suffocation are often used interchangeably, but the term “smothering” is best used for that form of asphyxia in
- [Extreme tissue discoloration and gas formation](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/extreme-tissue-discoloration-and-gas-formation/) - Decomposition: extreme tissue discoloration and gas formation in a body removed from water. Bodies removed from water show excessive gas production and tissue discoloration, owing to explosive bacterial gas production. The gas causes the bodies to bloat excessively, which can cause an explosion or sudden rupture of the tense abdomen. Recovering bodies from water is
- [Autoerotic death - Man found burned and chained to a metal support column](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/autoerotic-death-man-found-burned-and-chained-to-a-metal-support-column/) - Dearborn Heights, Michigan. Police officers were summoned to a residence to check on the welfare of a man who had not reported to work for three days. There was no response at his home. Officers were able to enter the premises through a closed but unlocked window. The interior of the home, which was unkempt,
- [Significantly decomposed individual](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/significantly-decomposed-individual/) - Australia. This elderly male individual was significantly decomposed and not visually identifiable. Postmortem CT showed a metal orthopedic implant in the left distal clavicle. Internal examination located an orthopedic plate on the left clavicle, which had an identification number. In cases where an individual is decomposed or no longer visually recognizable, the location of prosthetic
- [Postmortem rat bites](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/postmortem-rat-bites/) - This individual received the injuries postmortem by rats, cause of death unknown. No further info on the case. A body lying in the open may be damaged by the bites of mice and rats, or of larger animals such as foxes and dogs. We may easily recognize the marks of their teeth on the bones.
- [Fatal scuba diving accident during Costa Concordia recovery](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/fatal-scuba-diving-accident-during-costa-concordia-recovery/) - Italy, 2014. A 41-year-old Spanish professional scuba diver, died while he was working to clear the wreck of the cruise ship Costa Concordia that capsized, and later sank in shallow waters after striking an underwater rock of Isola del Giglio, Tuscany, Italy in 2012. The death was due to him being crushed between the side
- [Ligature strangulation using a dental unit](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/ligature-strangulation-using-a-dental-unit/) - Seoul, South Korea. The victim, a 46-year-old male dentist, was found dead of ligature strangulation next to a dental unit at the dental clinic where he worked. The victim was squatting next to the dental unit. He was on his knees, with both feet on the floor. His left hand was resting on the dental
- [Man struck by multiple vehicles](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/man-struck-by-multiple-vehicles/) - A 24-year-old man ran out into the street while being chased by security guards, after being caught shoplifting. In an attempted evasive maneuver, he dashed onto a six-lane interstate highway and was struck by multiple vehicles. The body was received in multiple pieces. A fragmented body should be arranged in order as much as possible,
- [A van crashed into a toll booth and burst into flames](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/a-van-crashed-into-a-toll-booth-and-burst-into-flames/) - The driver of a van was approaching a toll booth at a high rate of speed in dense fog. A sharp leftward evasive maneuver was unsuccessful in avoiding impact with the concrete canopy support. The impact point on the vehicle was the right side—the same side of the vehicle as the fuel tank and exhaust
- [Hanging in jail using telephone cord](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/hanging-in-jail-using-telephone-cord/) - Hangings in jail using telephone cords have been described in the literature. Note the telephone cord looped around the neck of this woman who hanged herself in jail. In this scenario, the telephone cord is looped around the neck and the receiver cinched underneath the chin while the person slumps to the ground under the
- [This body was indoors with the windows closed and not subject to insect infestation](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/this-body-was-indoors-with-the-windows-closed-and-not-subject-to-insect-infestation/) - New York. Note the bloating and peeling of skin. This body was indoors with the windows closed and not subject to insect infestation. Small blisters filled with nutrient-rich fluid begin appearing on internal organs and the skin’s surface. The body will appear to have a sheen due to ruptured blisters, and the skin’s top layer
- [Partial skeletonization](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/partial-skeletonization/) - Skeletonization is the state of a dead organism after undergoing decomposition. Skeletonization refers to the final stage of decomposition, during which the last vestiges of the soft tissues of a corpse or carcass have decayed or dried to the point that the skeleton is exposed. By the end of the skeletonization process, all soft tissue
- [The hanging French maid](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/the-hanging-french-maid/) - Germany. A 21-year-old man was found hanging in a stairwell. A noose ran around the neck, ascending to the left occipital region. Feet were touching the ground and the knees were bent. An overturned chair lay next to the body. The man wore a “French Maid” costume but no underwear. Upon inspection of the deceased’s
- [Body found in LA County’s high desert](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/body-found-in-la-countys-high-desert/) - Identification of decomposed remains requires techniques such as forensic odontology, forensic anthropology, and/or DNA typing. This victim was murdered and dumped in LA County’s high desert, where animals consumed the facial tissue and hands. No further info about this case. Forensic odontology—the scientific application of dentistry to legal matters—has become a viable asset to the
- [Man killed in arc flash electrocution](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/man-killed-in-arc-flash-electrocution/) - This individual died after getting electrocuted, an electric arc formed and burned away part of his neck. An electric arc, or arc discharge, is an electrical breakdown of a gas that produces a prolonged electrical discharge. The current through a normally nonconductive medium such as air produces a plasma; the plasma may produce visible light.
- [Gunshot entrance wound on the forehead](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/gunshot-entrance-wound-on-the-forehead/) - This individual committed suicide with a sawed-off IZH-18 shotgun. The entrance wound is on the forehead and has a stellate-shaped appearance. In contact gunshot wounds with bony tissue underlying the injury, the injuries are typically called a stellate wound, where the gases exit the barrel before the projectile. As a result, the gas collides with
- [Subscribe to get the latest Monthly Magazine](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/subscribe-to-get-the-latest-monthly-magazine/) - The October 2022 issue is out With a monthly subscription the Shocker brings you unfiltered views of reality and educational content from the world of crime, accidents, and forensics. Each magazine has about 50 pages of new and old content from the vault of the Shocker and is only in a digital download format. The
- [Bloody cough from gunshot suicide](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/bloody-cough-from-gunshot-suicide/) - This individual committed suicide with a gun, there was no further info but it looks like he might have used or tried to use two guns, possibly one to the side of the head and the other inside the mouth. Note the bloody cough and numerous tiny blood droplets surrounding the mouth opening. Cough as
- [Skin slippage, lividity, and marbling](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/skin-slippage-lividity-and-marbling/) - Chicago, Illinois. This photo illustrates decomposition, skin slippage, lividity, and marbling. No further info. Skin slippage is something that happens in decomposition. It is when the superficial layers of the skin “slip” off of the body. It occurs early in decomposition, in temperate conditions usually it starts around the two to three day mark and
- [Suicide with a homemade 12-gauge shotgun cartridge filled with screws, nuts, and other metal objects](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/suicide-with-a-homemade-12-gauge-shotgun-cartridge-filled-with-screws-nuts-and-other-metal-objects/) - The image shows a wound caused by a flare gun that fired a homemade 12-gauge shotgun cartridge filled with screws, nuts, and other small metal objects. Although it is not known if all the satellite defects surrounding the central defect are the result of powder particles or small metal projectiles, it is clear that the
- [Reconstruction of devastating head injuries](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/reconstruction-of-devastating-head-injuries/) - Crushing head injuries are characterized by extensive soft tissue laceration, closed and open comminuted fractures of cranial and facial parts of the skull, often in conjunction with laceration of the brain or its partial or total prolapse. This type of injury usually does not allow direct visual identification of individuals, and above all, it constitutes
- [The rapid expansion of departed hot gases from firearms can cause facial features to balloon far beyond their elastic capacity](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/the-rapid-expansion-of-departed-hot-gases-from-firearms-can-cause-facial-features-to-balloon-far-beyond-their-elastic-capacity/) - Notice the linear tears extending laterally from the corners of this individuals mouth after the tremendous force imparted by the expulsion of a projectile from the gun. The discharge of a weapon involves the release not only of a projectile but of hot gas under high pressure as well. If the lips are sealed around
- [Self-inflicted intraoral shotgun wound with birdshot ammunition](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/self-inflicted-intraoral-shotgun-wound-with-birdshot-ammunition/) - 1998 – Miami-Dade County, Florida, US. This young man has a self-inflicted intraoral shotgun wound with birdshot ammunition. Notice the blow-out injury to the left side of his face (Fig.1) and the plethora of pellets scattered throughout his head on radiography (Fig.2). Also, note the presence of three radiopaque objects resembling teeth visible on the
- [A contact entrance wound of the head showing wide separation of the wound edges](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/a-contact-entrance-wound-of-the-head-showing-wide-separation-of-the-wound-edges/) - This individual has a contact gunshot wound on the forehead. Note the split by tears radiating from a central region of the wound where the end of the muzzle of the gun was pressed against the skin. When a gun is fired, a cloud of hot gas is expressed from the end of the muzzle
- [Massive explosive burstlike exit wound to the head from a .30-06 hunting rifle](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/massive-explosive-burstlike-exit-wound-to-the-head-from-a-30-06-hunting-rifle/) - Massive explosive burstlike exit wound to the head from a .30-06 hunting rifle suicide. Note outward petal like displacement of the calvarium and scalp. Note also the well demarcated muzzle imprint and entry defect beneath the chin. Head injuries from shotguns and high-powered rifles are typically quite devastating, often with extensive soft tissue destruction, skull
- [Man builds an elaborate apparatus to commit suicide](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/man-builds-an-elaborate-apparatus-to-commit-suicide/) - Stuart, Florida, USA. Occasionally, self-inflicted gunshots involve elaborate apparatus. This individual took the time and patience to construct a wooden structure complete with a rope and pulley system in order to fire the rifle by pulling the rope with his hand. Fig.1 View of victim with massive head trauma from gunshot. Rifle is positioned in
- [Gender-Based Violence: Extended Suicide](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/gender-based-violence-extended-suicide/) - Spain. This is a case of gender-based violence and murder, with the perpetrator subsequently killing themselves (i.e., murder-suicide) with a knife. The body of a woman lies on the right, who died as a result of multiple stab wounds inflicted to the back using a knife, penetrating the chest cavity and reaching the lung. The
- [Facial disruption as seen when the muzzle is placed beneath the chin](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/facial-disruption-as-seen-when-the-muzzle-is-placed-beneath-the-chin/) - This individual killed himself with a gunshot under the chin creating a massive tissue destruction. Facial disruption can be seen after the muzzle was placed beneath the chin. In this case, the gun was angled somewhat anteriorly, sparing much of the brain. Death would be expected although survival is seen in some exceptional cases. No
- [Suicide by intraoral gunshot wound to the head](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/suicide-by-intraoral-gunshot-wound-to-the-head/) - Cuyahoga County, Ohio, USA. This individual committed suicide by intraoral gunshot wound to the head, no further info. Head injuries from shotguns and high-powered rifles are typically quite devastating, often with extensive soft tissue destruction, skull fractures, and pulpifaction of the brain. Occasionally, the brain is largely expelled from the cranial vault and may be
- [Suicide with a box cutter](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/suicide-with-a-box-cutter/) - The woman in this photograph committed suicide with a box cutter by severing the peroneal artery, which is found on the outer side of the middle third of the leg. There are bloodstains on the floor, with three large projection spatters—a result of the pressure created by arterial spurts. In the case of a suicide
- [High velocity bloodstain spatter firearm rifle suicide](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/high-velocity-bloodstain-spatter-firearm-rifle-suicide/) - This photograph illustrates the devastating effect of a high-powered weapon placed into the mouth of a suicide victim. Note the destruction from the blast of the weapon. The teeth and mouth have been destroyed. Looks like there’s another person dead in the kitchen, I have no further info about this case, possibly it’s a murder-suicide,
- [Intensive blue color of mouth and lips in a case of suicidal intoxication with solvents](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/intensive-blue-color-of-mouth-and-lips-in-a-case-of-suicidal-intoxication-with-solvents/) - Intensive blue color of mouth and lips in a case of suicidal intoxication with solvents. No further info about this case. Acute or chronic poisonings caused by some gases or solvents occur with various incidences worldwide and can be associated with environmental or occupational pollution, or industrial accidents. They can cause serious intoxications in the
- [Flash suppressor burns from M-14 rifle](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/flash-suppressor-burns-from-m-14-rifle/) - Flash suppressors generally consist of a cylinder, having a number of longitudinal slits along its length that is attached to the muzzle of the weapon. On firing, the gas emerging from the muzzle is bled out the slits rather than emerging as one large cloud. Soot is present in this cloud of gas. If the
- [Suicide by small model cannon](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/suicide-by-small-model-cannon/) - Germany. A 39-year-old metalworker was found dead in his workroom. He had manipulated a model cannon with jackscrews on his workbench. Nearby, banger fuses, remains of black gunpowder, a wooden stick used for stuffing, and a lighter were found. The man had already owned this cannon for years. Chronic problems of alcoholism and a current
- [Insects, carnivores, and other invaders can speed up the process of decomposition](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/insects-carnivores-and-other-invaders-can-speed-up-the-process-of-decomposition/) - Forensic entomology is the study of insects as they relate to death investigation. For example, fly larvae can be obtained at the death scene, identified, and reared in incubators. The postmortem interval (time of death) can be estimated based on the fixed-time growth cycles of the fly larvae. Fig.1 Maggot activity on a decomposing body.
- [Postmortem animal depredation after poisoning](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/postmortem-animal-depredation-after-poisoning/) - Spain. This individual died after ingesting poison. The injuries were inflicted postmortem by a dog. No further info. Postmortem animal depredation is a substantial part of the taphonomic processes a body undergoes after death. While the occurrence and presentation of such injuries are well known to forensic pathologists, the morphological appearance of these injuries may
- [Elderly male found dead with a pair of scissors protruding from the right eye](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/elderly-male-found-dead-with-a-pair-of-scissors-protruding-from-the-right-eye/) - An elderly male was found dead, slightly decomposed, lying on a couch with a pair of scissors protruding from the right eye socket. He had been attacked and murdered and died from sharp-force head and neck injuries. There were multiple stabs and incised wounds to the head, neck, chest, abdomen, both arms, and both legs.
- [Slashed throat](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/slashed-throat/) - This victim’s throat was slashed. No further info about this case. Slash wounds occur as a result of tangential movements of sharp implements across the skin surface, for example, razors, broken glass, knives, swords, etc. They are often deeper at their origin and tend to be more superficial at their termination. They are often aimed
- [Man burned to death when a LPG cylinder ignited](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/man-burned-to-death-when-a-lpg-cylinder-ignited/) - This male individual was driving when an LPG cylinder(Liquefied petroleum gas), which was in the front passenger side of the vehicle, ignited causing a fire. The case is suspected to be a suicide. The individual was located in the driver’s seat. There was extensive fire damage to much of the body and extensive loss of
- [Suicide with an explosive detonator in the mouth](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/suicide-with-an-explosive-detonator-in-the-mouth/) - This male individual placed an explosive detonator in his mouth. There was extensive destruction of the bone and soft tissue of the cranium. The scalp and fragments of bone and cerebral tissue were received separately from the body in a bag. There was black discoloration of the skin at the margins of the complex lacerations
- [Bloated body found in the Northern Adriatic Sea](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/bloated-body-found-in-the-northern-adriatic-sea/) - This individual was found in the Northern Adriatic Sea, near Italy. No further info. Many times it is difficult to determine the sex of bodies that have been immersed in water. A body in water generally decomposes more slowly due to the colder temperatures as well as the lack of oxygen. Bodies removed from water
- [Woman commits suicide by train](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/woman-commits-suicide-by-train/) - Spain. This middle-aged woman with major depressive disorder committed suicide by train. No further info. Suicide by collision with a train is one of the most lethal and violent methods of death. The first case of rail suicide was recorded in England in 1852, approximately 20 years after the commencement of the rail era. Today,
- [Husband kills his wife and jammed his wedding ring onto her nose](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/husband-kills-his-wife-and-jammed-his-wedding-ring-onto-her-nose/) - East Lake, Ohio. Police who had responded to an emergency call discovered a woman named Susan murdered in her home. Police officers forced entry into the locked house. The female victim was in fact dead. She had numerous stab wounds to the frontal portion of her body. Officers discovered her husband, Frank, in an upstairs
- [A contact shotgun wound of the lower chin](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/a-contact-shotgun-wound-of-the-lower-chin/) - A contact shotgun wound of the lower chin. Note the stretch-type lacerations of the right side of the face. In gunshot injuries in soft parts of the body, especially in the brain, the bullet can produce a considerable explosive effect, which is greatest with unjacketed or soft-nosed bullets from high-velocity firearms. Such a bullet may
- [Shotgun suicide](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/shotgun-suicide/) - There was no info about this case, so here’s just some general info: At close range, the shotgun is the most formidable and destructive of all small arms. For birdshot and buckshot loads, the severity and lethality of a shotgun wound depends on the number of pellets that enter the body, the organs struck by
- [Body found floating in the Hudson River](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/body-found-floating-in-the-hudson-river/) - This body was found floating in the Hudson River just to the west of Manhattan. The missing hands and feet are due to injuries from marine animals. No further info. If a body is placed in water containing a large amount of bacteria, such as that from sewage effluent, decomposition is accelerated. A body in
- [This body was discovered in a suitcase](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/this-body-was-discovered-in-a-suitcase/) - This body was discovered in a suitcase in Los Angeles. No further info. If a body has been buried or if remains have been found in a suitcase, sack, or the like, then all objects that have been used to conceal the body or for wrapping are of special interest in the investigation. With such
- [Skeletonization of the head](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/skeletonization-of-the-head/) - Skeletonization is the total or partial loss of soft tissue (complete or incomplete skeletonization, respectively) with resultant exposure of bones. Incomplete skeletonization may proceed to complete skeletonization but this does not necessarily take place since only discrete portions of the body may be exposed to the proper environmental conditions. Fig.1 The length of the postmortem
- [A blood-spattered scene where a chronic alcoholic died on the toilet](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/a-blood-spattered-scene-where-a-chronic-alcoholic-died-on-the-toilet/) - A 68-year-old male with a history of chronic ethanol abuse was found dead in his washroom with blood spattered on his clothing, the floor, and in a small bucket at his feet. At autopsy, he was found to have micronodular cirrhosis and diffuse fatty change of the liver. The blood arose from esophageal varices. He
- [Face and neck eaten by German shepherd](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/face-and-neck-eaten-by-german-shepherd/) - I colorized the original black and white image. Rounded, regular wound margins caused by a German shepherd postmortem. Note the two punctured wounds on the intact skin in the immediate vicinity to the actual wound margins originating from the canine teeth of the dog. Fig.1 Wounds caused by a German shepherd postmortem [Colorized]. A broad
- [Distorted appearance of the head from a fatal crush injury](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/distorted-appearance-of-the-head-from-a-fatal-crush-injury/) - Alabama, United States. This young man was working at a loading dock when a reversing semi-trailer crushed his head against a wall. In fig.1, note the obviously distorted appearance of the head, the internal aspect of which is demonstrated in fig.2. There are multiple widely displaced skull fractures at the skull base. We see evidence
- [Autoerotic death inside plastic bag wearing latex mask and nipple clamps](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/autoerotic-death-inside-plastic-bag-wearing-latex-mask-and-nipple-clamps/) - A 44-year-old man was found deceased after an autoerotic activity, he had pulled a plastic bag over his naked body. Inserted into the plastic bag was a vacuum cleaner hose that was supposed to create a vacuum. Additionally, the man wore a latex mask and had a rubber ball in his mouth, he was wearing
- [Hot, dry conditions cause mummification, or the drying out of tissues](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/hot-dry-conditions-cause-mummification-or-the-drying-out-of-tissues/) - Mummification occurs in hot, dry environments. The body dehydrates and bacterial proliferation may be minimal. The skin becomes dark, dried, and leathery. The process occurs readily in the fingers and toes in dry environments, regardless of the temperature. Most mummified bodies are found in the summer months or in hot, dry climates. Mummification can occur
- [Scleral hemorrhages in the eye of a strangled woman](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/scleral-hemorrhages-in-the-eye-of-a-strangled-woman/) - This woman was strangled and died, note the scleral hemorrhages and petechiae, larger scleral hemorrhages can be seen in relation to neck compression. Scleral hemorrhage or subconjunctival hemorrhage is a red spot on your eye caused by a broken blood vessel. It might look scary, but it’s usually harmless. Your conjunctiva, the clear membrane that
- [Skeletonization and postmortem marine feeding activity on a drowning victim](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/skeletonization-and-postmortem-marine-feeding-activity-on-a-drowning-victim/) - Drowning victim in Australia showing evidence of prolonged immersion, focal skeletonization, and evidence of postmortem marine feeding activity. The time between when last seen alive and the autopsy was 2 days. Bodies that are found in the sea will often be decomposed and injured by the action of waves against obstructions or by marine predators,
- [Fatal gyrocopter accident](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/fatal-gyrocopter-accident/) - Two persons were flying in a gyrocopter when deteriorating weather conditions resulted in the gyrocopter crashing. A middle-aged male pilot and an elderly male passenger died from multiple injuries sustained in the accident. The pilot had extensive trauma to the head, torso, and both upper and lower limbs with multiple compound comminuted fractures (Figs.1-2). Fig.1
- [Body of a woman who died while taking a bath](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/body-of-a-woman-who-died-while-taking-a-bath/) - This is the body of a 74-year-old woman who died while taking a hot bath, she was found 3 days later. The body is bloated and venous marbling can be seen. No further info. Decomposition, or putrefaction, is a combination of two processes: autolysis and bacterial action. Autolysis is the breakdown of cells and organs
- [Mummification can result in very hard, leathery skin](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/mummification-can-result-in-very-hard-leathery-skin/) - Mummification occurs in hot, dry environments. The body dehydrates and bacterial proliferation may be minimal. The skin becomes dark, dried, and leathery. The process occurs readily in the fingers and toes in dry environments, regardless of the temperature. Most mummified bodies are found in the summer months or in hot, dry climates. Mummification can occur
- [Homicidal incised wounds of the neck inflicted from the front](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/homicidal-incised-wounds-of-the-neck-inflicted-from-the-front/) - Incised wounds of the neck can be accidental, homicidal or suicidal. Accidental wounds are extremely rare, usually seen only when an individual goes through a sheet of glass or is struck in the neck by a flying fragment of glass or some other sharp-edged projectile. Homicidal incised wounds of the neck present two different pictures,
- [Facial soft tissue dissection](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/facial-soft-tissue-dissection/) - In cases of trauma, it may be necessary to dissect the soft tissue of the face that lies in close proximity to the bony or cartilaginous framework of the head, namely, the bones of the cranium and face. When working in this area it is important to be aware that dissection should not be so
- [Bulging of the eyes, lips and face, with protrusion of the tongue, all related to decomposition](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/bulging-of-the-eyes-lips-and-face-with-protrusion-of-the-tongue-all-related-to-decomposition/) - Note the bulging eyes, lips and face with protrusion of the tongue on this decomposing individual, all related to the decomposition process. No further info about this case. Decomposition, or putrefaction, is a combination of two processes: autolysis and bacterial action. Autolysis is the breakdown of cells and organs through an aseptic chemical process caused
- [This individual was found in a state of decomposition inside plastic bags buried in soil](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/this-individual-was-found-in-a-state-of-decomposition-inside-plastic-bags-buried-in-soil/) - This individual was found in a state of decomposition inside plastic bags buried in soil. No further info about this case. Decomposition is the process in which the organs and complex molecules of a human body break down into simple organic matter over time. In vertebrates, five stages of decomposition are typically recognized: fresh, bloat,
- [Sharp force injury death](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/sharp-force-injury-death/) - There was no information with this image, I assume it’s a homicide rather than a suicide, but I guess anything is possible since information is limited. I think it’s an interesting image and wanted to share it. A cut or incised wound is produced by a sharp edge and is usually longer than it is
- [Blood spatter on the walls after woman is stabbed multiple times in face and neck](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/blood-spatter-on-the-walls-after-woman-is-stabbed-multiple-times-in-face-and-neck/) - King County, WA, USA. This woman was found dead at her residence. She has been stabbed multiple times in the face and neck. Blood spatter and pool of blood can be seen and the knife the perpetrator used. No further info about this case. Bloodstains are classified into three basic types: passive stains, transfer stains
- [Postmortem animal predation on woman's face by a domestic pet](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/postmortem-animal-predation-on-womans-face-by-a-domestic-pet/) - King County, WA, USA. The face of this woman shows typical postmortem animal scavenging injuries, in this case from a domestic pet, the type of pet was not disclosed. A considerable amount of skin and subcutaneous fatty tissue are missing. Cause of death unknown. No further info on this case. Postmortem animal depredation is a
- [Breasts may swell up to remarkable size during decomposition](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/breasts-may-swell-up-to-remarkable-size-during-decomposition/) - Moderately early changes of decomposition, showing gaseous distension of the breasts and abdomen. Skin slippage, marbling, and blistering can be seen. Gas formation will now become marked, with increased tension in the abdomen. The breasts may swell up to remarkable size and the neck and face will become grotesquely bloated, making visual identification difficult or
- [Victim of homicide with an axe](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/victim-of-homicide-with-an-axe/) - Spain. The photos are of a victim of homicide with an axe. This is a case of homicide with “ensañamiento” which consists in intentionally increasing the victim’s suffering inhumanely, causing unnecessary suffering for the commission of the crime. The perpetrator tried to get rid of the victim’s body by throwing it down a well, hence
- [Facial injury resulting from high-velocity accident](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/facial-injury-resulting-from-high-velocity-accident/) - This individual was involved in a fatal high-velocity accident resulting in facial trauma with loss of skin, soft tissue, and skeletal integrity. No further info. Trauma is a leading cause of mortality globally. Worldwide, road traffic injuries are the leading cause of death between the ages of 18 and 29, while in the United States,
- [Chopping wounds of the head from a machete [Colorized]](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/chopping-wounds-of-the-head-from-a-machete-colorized/) - I colored and upscaled the original low quality black and white image, quality is rather poor. Chopping wounds of the head from a machete. Note the incised-like nature of wounds with cutting of underlying bone. Fig.1 The colorized image. A chop wound is caused by a heavy weapon or instrument with at least one sharp
- [Shotgun wound to the face](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/shotgun-wound-to-the-face/) - I have no info on this case but it looks like he may have survived. Head injuries from shotguns and high-powered rifles are typically quite devastating, often with extensive soft tissue destruction, skull fractures, and pulpifaction of the brain. Occasionally, the brain is largely expelled from the cranial vault and may be found near the
- [Chemical substance autoerotic death](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/chemical-substance-autoerotic-death/) - Chicago, Illinois. This victim was inhaling an unknown chemical substance while practicing autoerotic activities. He was wearing a latex hood gas mask with a yellow canister containing the unknown chemical substance. The man was breathing through this mask and suffocated during the autoerotic act. Fig.1 This victim was inhaling an unknown chemical substance while practicing
- [Advanced stages of decomposition](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/advanced-stages-of-decomposition/) - This individual shown here had been dead approximately two weeks in an unheated, unventilated room. Note the extreme discoloration and swelling of the facial area as well as the abdomen. In general, as rigor passes, skin first turns green at the abdomen. As discoloration spreads to the rest of the trunk, the body begins to
- [Suicide with a pistol](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/suicide-with-a-pistol/) - This individual has died after a self-inflicted gunshot to the head, no further info. The head is the most common location for a suicidal gunshot wound (74%), followed by the chest (20%) and then the abdomen (6%). In head wounds, the most common location was intraoral (50%), followed by under the chin (19%); side of
- [Krönlein shot, complete evisceration of the brain](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/kronlein-shot-complete-evisceration-of-the-brain/) - Krönlein shot indicates a prolapse of an intact brain hemisphere or, more rarely, of both brain hemispheres in high-velocity missile injuries to the brain during close-range shooting. In cases of Krönlein shot, a gunshot wound to the skull with a high-velocity bullet, the skull is shattered by the temporary wound cavity and there is a
- [Complex suicide of a 31-year-old man](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/complex-suicide-of-a-31-year-old-man/) - Germany. Complex suicide of a 31-year-old man following the attempted killing of his 29-year-old partner. Atypical hanging in a kneeling posture with a scarf. The sling knot is in the chin region. The scarf is attached to the rod of the shower curtain. Extensive bloodstains on the floor and in the sink where a jackknife
- [Suicide victim detonated one kilogram of TNT on his chest](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/suicide-victim-detonated-one-kilogram-of-tnt-on-his-chest/) - Blast injury. The suicide victim detonated one kilogram of TNT on his chest. No further info. Explosive-caused injuries may be from an explosive mixture of nitrocellulose, nitrocellulose-nitroglycerin mixture, dynamite, or gunpowder. The container for the explosive may play a role when, if with the explosion it breaks into pieces and the pieces cause serious injuries.
- [Female body recovered from a floodplain in the North of Italy](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/female-body-recovered-from-a-floodplain-in-the-north-of-italy/) - In mid-November 2010 a hunter walking on the Po river bank near Parma (Emilia-Romagna Region, in the north-east of Italy) informed the authorities of the presence of human remains in the mud, which were spotted from a distance. The floodplain area, of roughly 65 hectares, had drained naturally in the past 10 days, after flooding
- [A young man committed suicide by hanging](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/a-young-man-committed-suicide-by-hanging/) - India. A young man aged about 26-year got married a couple of years back, he used to maintain his livelihood from the poor income being a rickshaw driver and used to pass hard days. His strained family relation also added misery to his life. Finding no other ways and unable to adjust himself, he committed
- [Suicidal stab wound](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/suicidal-stab-wound/) - Nassau County, New York – Suicidal stab wound into a female victim’s chest with the knife left in one of the wounds. Many times the medical examiner will be able to state that a wound is consistent with a particular weapon. In this case the weapon used by the victim was still in the victim.
- [Woman who committed suicide by hanging found 19 months later](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/woman-who-committed-suicide-by-hanging-found-19-months-later/) - Germany. A decomposed body was found hanging from a tree in a forest. The body belonged to a 54-year-old woman who committed suicide by hanging 19 months earlier. The string was an antenna cable formed in an open loop and was attached to a branch. The body was mummified and partially clothed, white mold was
- [Suicidal asphyxiation by propane-butane mixture inside a plastic bag](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/suicidal-asphyxiation-by-propane-butane-mixture-inside-a-plastic-bag/) - A 30-year-old male was found fully dressed lying on his right side on his sofa in his flat. He had put a blue plastic bag over his head and upper part of the body. Close to his upper part of the body, a 5-L propane/butane gas bottle was found, the upper part of the bottle
- [Facial splitting from an intraoral discharge](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/facial-splitting-from-an-intraoral-discharge/) - An extreme example of facial splitting from an intraoral discharge. Conspicuous splitting is noted along the paranasal and maxillary areas with extension to the outer angles of the mouth. The discharge of a weapon involves the release not only of a projectile but of hot gas under high pressure as well. If the lips are
- [Suicidal hanging resulting in complete decapitation](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/suicidal-hanging-resulting-in-complete-decapitation/) - This woman was decapitated after committing suicide by hanging. The image was in black and white and I colorized it. There was no more info about this case. Fig.1 Suicidal hanging resulting in complete decapitation. Colorized by Hermantheshocker. Decapitation is a complication of extreme rarity in the event of a suicidal hanging and is always
- [Unusual suicide pact with a single shot](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/unusual-suicide-pact-with-a-single-shot/) - Germany. Translated by Hermantheshocker. The bodies of a 27-year-old woman and a 44-year-old man were found lying entwined on their bed. A revolver lay on the bed next to them. The forensic examinations revealed a fatal, sagittal gunshot wound of the thorax with a trajectory from back to front in the woman. The man showed
- [A facial reconstruction and identification technique for seriously devastating head wounds](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/a-facial-reconstruction-and-identification-technique-for-seriously-devastating-head-wounds/) - A 77-year-old woman in the Czech Republic committed suicide by train. The face of the woman was reconstructed with this technique. Because of seriously devastating head injuries, the mechanism of trauma was unknown. Several wounds were found in the face and are schematically visualized in Fig.3. Visual facial identification of an unknown body after a
- [Suicidal contact wound under the chin](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/suicidal-contact-wound-under-the-chin/) - This victim shot himself under the chin with a 7.62 calibre rifle creating massive tissue destruction, no further info. Head injuries from shotguns and high-powered rifles are typically quite devastating, often with extensive soft tissue destruction, skull fractures, and pulpifaction of the brain. Occasionally, the brain is largely expelled from the cranial vault and may
- [Unusual accidental decapitation in a road traffic incident](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/unusual-accidental-decapitation-in-a-road-traffic-incident/) - A 28-year-old man was driving a car at a speed of approximately 80 km/h (49.7 mph) on a country road (possibly in Denmark), when the vehicle hit a man who was in an upright position on the road. The body of the pedestrian was found 375 m (1230ft) from the rear of the car, whereas
- [Suicidal head impalement with a hydraulic press machine](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/suicidal-head-impalement-with-a-hydraulic-press-machine/) - Serbia. A 63-year-old mechanic, diagnosed with schizophrenia, was released from a psychiatric clinic to spend a weekend with his family. According to the police report, his son heard a noise from the workshop and when he went to investigate he found him dead next to the hydraulic press machine. The decedent was in a sitting
- [Woman's throat slashed by her assailant](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/womans-throat-slashed-by-her-assailant/) - Grand Prairie, Texas – The victim’s throat was slashed by her assailant during a sexual assault and murder. Her larynx was severed preventing her from screaming for help. No further info about this case. Slash wounds occur as a result of tangential movements of sharp implements across the skin surface, for example, razors, broken glass,
- [Contact shotgun wound to the head](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/contact-shotgun-wound-to-the-head/) - I don’t have the backstory from this case but here’s some general info. At close range, the shotgun is the most formidable and destructive of all small arms. For birdshot and buckshot loads, the severity and lethality of a shotgun wound depends on the number of pellets that enter the body, the organs struck by
- [Chess buddy killed with a samurai sword](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/chess-buddy-killed-with-a-samurai-sword/) - Case scenario April 2019 – Mönchengladbach, Germany. Two men had met on a bus and after a conversation about their common passion for chess, they decided to go to a chess tournament together. Both men were heavy drinkers, and on the way to the tournament, they started to consume alcohol. In the end, both were
- [Man beheaded when hit by a train](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/man-beheaded-when-hit-by-a-train/) - India. This individual was beheaded when he got hit by a train, no further info. In 2020 more than 13,000 train accidents across India have killed nearly 12,000 railway passengers, according to a recent report by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB). The latest statistics mean that on average, 32 people lost their lives every
- [Subscribe To Get The Latest Monthly Magazine](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/subscribe-to-get-the-latest-monthly-magazine-3/) - The December 2022 issue is out With a monthly subscription the Shocker brings you unfiltered views of reality and educational content from the world of crime, accidents, and forensics. Each magazine has about 50 pages of new and old content from the vault of the Shocker and is only in a digital download format. Support
- [Unusual position of a body](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/unusual-position-of-a-body/) - Maryland, USA. The unusual position of the body at this scene resulted from the deceased experiencing a heart attack after stepping from her bathtub. No further info. Occasionally, an accidental death raises suspicion. The position of the body, injuries, and appearance of the crime scene can all lead investigators into thinking the accidental death is
- [Extensive destruction of man's head](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/extensive-destruction-of-mans-head/) - This individual has an extensive destruction of the head, I don’t have the details of what happened, I would guess gunshot to the head or crush injury in some accident. Crushing head trauma Head trauma from a crushing brain injury is typically the most damaging and life-threatening variety of traumatic brain injury. Head trauma from
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- [The corpse of this individual was found in his apartment](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/the-corpse-of-this-individual-was-found-in-his-apartment/) - The corpse of this individual was found in his apartment, the deceased is partially clothed and partially covered. The head was uncovered and showed insect activity and colonization of fly maggots. On the trunk of the body and parts of the extremities, signs of the onset of putrefaction were detectable, with the onset of green
- [Crush laceration of the head](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/crush-laceration-of-the-head/) - Grinding and compression forces can cause crushing injuries of tissues. This form of injury may cause total or partial amputation of the affected body part for example limb. It may also be associated with avulsion and/or stretch laceration. No info on this case. Head trauma from a crushing brain injury occurs when the brain and
- [This individual died from natural causes while taking a bath](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/this-individual-died-from-natural-causes-while-taking-a-bath/) - This individual died from natural causes while taking a bath. Dark-yellow and brown discoloration can be seen due to mummification of exposed skin regions. No further info about this case. Occasionally, the floating decomposed body may present with the anterior side up allowing the face, chest, and abdomen to be exposed to the air and
- [Decomposition with bloated facial features](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/decomposition-with-bloated-facial-features-2/) - Note the bulging eyes, lips and face with protrusion of the tongue on this decomposing individual, all related to the decomposition process. No further info about this case. Decomposition, or putrefaction, is a combination of two processes: autolysis and bacterial action. Autolysis is the breakdown of cells and organs through an aseptic chemical process caused
- [Woman amputated and killed after getting hit by train](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/woman-amputated-and-killed-after-getting-hit-by-train/) - This woman died after getting hit by a train. Her right arm got amputated along with bruising of the face and chest. No further info. Railway injuries are not uncommon, especially in countries with many ‘level crossings’ (called ‘grade crossings’ in the USA), where a public road crosses a railway track with either no barrier
- [Fatal rectal trauma after a man shoves a shoehorn up his ass](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/fatal-rectal-trauma-after-a-man-shoves-a-shoehorn-up-his-ass/) - A 54-year-old man was found dead on his bed next to a red shoehorn. Perhaps he just wanted to do something new and exciting, but for some unknown reason, he came to the conclusion that shoving his red shoehorn up his ass would be an excellent idea. It wasn’t. Fig.1 The man was found dead
- [Co-occurrence of skeletonization and mummification](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/co-occurrence-of-skeletonization-and-mummification/) - Skeletonization is the total or partial loss of soft tissue (complete or incomplete skeletonization, respectively) with resultant exposure of bones. Incomplete skeletonization may proceed to complete skeletonization but this does not necessarily take place since only discrete portions of the body may be exposed to the proper environmental conditions. Fig.1 Co-occurrence of skeletonization and mummification.
- [Putrefactive change and maggot feeding](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/putrefactive-change-and-maggot-feeding/) - Marked putrefactive change with dark brown discoloration and maggot feeding. Note the small circular perforations caused by maggots tunneling through skin and soft tissue. Maggots cause most of the body’s decomposition because the maggot will do the majority of the eating. Maggots have powerful proteolytic enzymes that aid the dissolution of tissues and facilitate penetration.
- [Postmortem animal predation by a pet dog](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/postmortem-animal-predation-by-a-pet-dog/) - Animal predation is less commonly seen than insect predation. Because most putrefied bodies are recovered from a home environment, the most common animal predators are domestic cats and dogs and rodents. Bodies found outdoors may have been predated by wild birds and animals. In this example, tissue destruction was caused postmortem by the deceased’s pet
- [Defense wounds of the left hand that had been placed in front of the neck](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/defense-wounds-of-the-left-hand-that-had-been-placed-in-front-of-the-neck/) - This woman was shot it the neck, note the defense wounds on her left hand from trying to defend herself. No further info about this case. A defense wound is an injury received by the victim of an attack while trying to defend against the assailant. Defensive wounds are often found on the hands and
- [Homicidal cut throat](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/homicidal-cut-throat/) - Homicidal cut throat, showing single slash with no tentative cuts. Clean-cut edges with no sign of repetitive strokes, severing muscles, larynx, and some large vessels. No further info about this case. When an incised wound is longer than it is deep, it may be referred to as a ‘cut’ or ‘slash’, though a ‘cut’ may
- [The body of a man who overdosed on methadone](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/the-body-of-a-man-who-overdosed-on-methadone/) - Newport, Rhode Island. The body of a man who overdosed on methadone has gone into gross decomposition. No further info. At the bloating stage, the microorganisms residing in the human gut begin to digest the tissues of the body, excreting gases that cause the torso and limbs to bloat, and producing foul-smelling chemicals including putrescine
- [Maggot face](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/maggot-face/) - A man was found on the floor with a shirt over his head and his face below the forehead showing through the collar. This explained why the central portion of his face had accelerated decomposition compared to the forehead, and had maggots that could not get to the covered forehead. No further info. Fig.1 Maggots
- [Woman dies after falling into tortilla machine](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/woman-dies-after-falling-into-tortilla-machine/) - Pachuca, Mexico. This happened about ~10 years ago. A woman died when she fell into a rotating machine used for making dough for tortillas at her workplace. Her co-workers rushed to try to help her and called emergency services after hearing her screams. When an ambulance finally arrived she was dead from her injuries. Crushed
- [Decomposition with bloated facial features](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/decomposition-with-bloated-facial-features/) - Note the bulging eyes and face on this decomposing individual, all related to the decomposition process. No further info about this case. Decomposition, or putrefaction, is a combination of two processes: autolysis and bacterial action. Autolysis is the breakdown of cells and organs through an aseptic chemical process caused by intracellular enzymes. Because it is
- [Mummification in a man dead in a locked room for 10 weeks](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/mummification-in-a-man-dead-in-a-locked-room-for-10-weeks/) - This individual was found mummified in a locked room 10 weeks after death. The corpse is dry and leathery, with very little moist putrefaction. No further info. Mummification is drying of the tissues in place of liquefying putrefaction. Like the other modes of decomposition, this can be partial and can coexist with them in different
- [Tangential distant gunshot wound](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/tangential-distant-gunshot-wound/) - The individual in the picture has a tangential distant gunshot wound produced by mag-safe ammunition (prefragmented). I don’t have any further info about this case. MagSafe Ammo is faster, recoils less, and stops attackers faster than any other ammunition in the world. Elite forces are outfitted with MagSafe, from Navy SEALS to the Royal Hong
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- [Body impaled on a wrought iron fence](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/body-impaled-on-a-wrought-iron-fence/) - Image from NYPD Crime Scene Unit. In this case a person’s body had become fatally impaled on a wrought iron fence, no further info, maybe a woman, I think I see a boob? On scenes like this the first officer should direct his attention to isolating the body and the immediate surroundings. At this stage
- [Cross-dressed male autoerotic death](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/cross-dressed-male-autoerotic-death/) - Columbus, Ohio. The victim was a 22-year-old male, who reportedly had been experimenting with asphyxial recreation for a number of years. The victim was hanging by the neck with an electrical cord secured to a 2 × 4 rafter above a ceiling tile, which had been removed to gain access. A scarf was between the
- [Postmortem facial injuries inflicted by rodents](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/postmortem-facial-injuries-inflicted-by-rodents/) - This individual received the injuries postmortem by rodents, cause of death unknown. No further info on the case. Apart from death scene routine and autopsy procedure, the investigation of cases of postmortem animal interference needs specific attention. While the identification of antemortem injury versus postmortem artifact generally presents no difficulties and a characteristic parallel series
- [Bulging eyes, lips and face with protrusion of the tongue on these decomposing individuals](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/bulging-eyes-lips-and-face-with-protrusion-of-the-tongue-on-these-decomposing-individuals/) - Note the bulging eyes, lips and face with protrusion of the tongue on these decomposing individuals, all related to the decomposition process. No further info about the cases. Fig.1 Decomposition, or putrefaction, is a combination of two processes: autolysis and bacterial action. Autolysis is the breakdown of cells and organs through an aseptic chemical process
- [Patterned injury from a fence post](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/patterned-injury-from-a-fence-post/) - This individual was ejected from a motor vehicle and fatally impacted a fence at a high rate of speed, leaving a patterned injury from the top of the fence post contacting his chest. No further info. A patterned injury has a distinct pattern that may reproduce the characteristics of the object causing the injury. The
- [The murder of a 19-year-old Indiana woman](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/the-murder-of-a-19-year-old-indiana-woman/) - 2011 – Portage, Indiana, USA. A 19-year-old woman named Amanda A.B. was reported missing by her father on the morning of September 16 after her car was found abandoned and disabled in a rural area. A road deputy had been dispatched to the location at Dean’s Store on a report of a disabled vehicle and
- [Multiple lacerations to the back of the head in a homicide](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/multiple-lacerations-to-the-back-of-the-head-in-a-homicide/) - Multiple lacerations to the back of the head in a homicide with a primary attack from behind. The bruises and abrasions represent blunt-force injury. Careful reconstruction of bone fragments may provide information about the size of the weapon. Identification of a specific tool is difficult and discouraged in professional practice in order to avoid providing
- [Advanced skeletonization of the skull after 1 week of lying on the ground in the woods in summer](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/advanced-skeletonization-of-the-skull-after-1-week-of-lying-on-the-ground-in-the-woods-in-summer/) - Figs.1-2 Advanced skeletonization of the skull after 1 week of lying on the ground in the woods in summer. No further info about this case. A rule of thumb that goes back to the Berlin forensic physi­cian Johann Ludwig Casper (1796–1864) – named Casper’s rule – says that 1 week in air equals 2 weeks
- [Purge fluid expelled from the mouth and nose after death](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/purge-fluid-expelled-from-the-mouth-and-nose-after-death/) - The decomposition of the gastrointestinal tract results in a dark, foul-smelling liquid called “purge fluid” that is forced out of the nose and mouth due to gas pressure in the intestine. Putrefaction begins immediately upon death and usually becomes noticeable within 24 hours. As soon as death occurs, the bacteria or microorganisms within the intestinal
- [Man killed and dismembered by his spouse](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/man-killed-and-dismembered-by-his-spouse/) - In Germany, a 65-year-old woman told police that she killed her 71-year-old husband the previous evening and then dismembered the body that night. They both originated from Russia. The woman stated in the interrogation that there had been a dispute between her and her husband in the immediate run-up to the crime. The husband wanted
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## Portfolio

- [Sukia #110 - La Citta Del Vizio](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/sukia-110-la-citta-del-vizio/)
- [Piacere Rosso](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/piacere-rosso/)
- [Il Vampiro presenta, Fratelli dai lunghi canini](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/il-vampiro-presenta-fratelli-dai-lunghi-canini/)
- [Italian pulp art](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/italian-pulp-art-2/)
- [Italian pulp art](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/italian-pulp-art/)
- [Il Traditore](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/il-traditore/)
- [Violenza in un Carcere Femminile](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/violenza-in-un-carcere-femminile/)
- [The ghost train](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/the-ghost-train/)
- [Billionaire 14 'The porn lookalike'](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/billionaire-14-the-porn-lookalike/)
- [Orgy of the Dead](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/orgy-of-the-dead/)
- [Requiem for a reporter](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/requiem-for-a-reporter/)
- [Lo Schiavo di Dracula](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/lo-schiavo-di-dracula/)
- [Art by Emanuele Taglietti](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/art-by-emanuele-taglietti-3/)
- [Belzeba, Il Castello Misterioso](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/belzeba-il-castello-misterioso/)
- [A hallucinating family](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/a-hallucinating-family/)
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- [Diamanti in tazza](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/diamanti-in-tazza/)
- [The dead do not forgive](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/the-dead-do-not-forgive/)
- [One hundred of these deaths](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/one-hundred-of-these-deaths/)
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- [Sukia](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/sukia-14/)
- [Horror 21](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/horror-21/)
- [E dio maledi il serpente](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/e-dio-maledi-il-serpente/)
- [Blood Reign of the Dictator](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/blood-reign-of-the-dictator/) - Blood Reign of the Dictator ; Opens a new tab
- [Una Ferrari per la morte](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/una-ferrari-per-la-morte/)
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- [Abysses of horror](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/abysses-of-horror/)
- [Inferno Series 10](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/inferno-series-10/)
- [The hoover street whores](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/the-hoover-street-whores/)
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- [La Trappola](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/la-trappola/)
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- [Le due verginelle](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/le-due-verginelle/)
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- [Come Risorge una Vampira](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/come-risorge-una-vampira/)
- [La Coyotera](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/la-coyotera/)
- [The Consummata](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/the-consummata/) - The Consummata ; Opens a new tab
- [Dollari & Sangue](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/dollari-sangue/)
- [Sangue e Orina](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/sangue-e-orina/)
- [Il castello dell’Inferno](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/il-castello-dellinferno/)
- [Di terrore si muore](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/di-terrore-si-muore/)
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- [Uccidete Quell’Uomo](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/uccidete-quelluomo/)
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- [Wlek lo straniero](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/wlek-lo-straniero/)
- [The face of fear](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/the-face-of-fear/)
- [Le incontaminate](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/le-incontaminate/)
- [Il Sadico di Marysville](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/il-sadico-di-marysville/)
- [La locanda dei delitti](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/la-locanda-dei-delitti/)
- [Una voce dall’Averno](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/una-voce-dallaverno/)
- [Metempsicosi](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/metempsicosi/)
- [Sedia Elettrica](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/sedia-elettrica/)
- [Backwoods Teaser](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/backwoods-teaser/)
- [Le Libidinoes](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/le-libidinoes/)
- [Meravigliose Fredde Membra](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/meravigliose-fredde-membra/)
- [Il Delitto dei Ragazzi-bene](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/il-delitto-dei-ragazzi-bene/)
- [Fig Kong](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/fig-kong/)
- [Sequestro di persona](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/sequestro-di-persona/)
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- [Abacuc l’alchimista](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/abacuc-lalchimista/)
- [Il sesso invisibile](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/il-sesso-invisibile/)
- [Una Donna Calda](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/una-donna-calda/)
- [Biancaneve E L’oro Del Reno](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/biancaneve-e-loro-del-reno/)
- [Angel’s Ransom](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/angels-ransom/)
- [Uno sbocco di sangue](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/uno-sbocco-di-sangue/)
- [Una mummia nel letto](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/una-mummia-nel-letto/)
- [L’Androgino](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/landrogino-2/)
- [Il Mulatto](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/il-mulatto/)
- [La Giraffa](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/la-giraffa/)
- [La Bella Vaquera](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/la-bella-vaquera/)
- [Tremenda Vendetta](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/tremenda-vendetta/)
- [Lussuria africana](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/lussuria-africana/)
- [Plotone di Esecuzione](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/plotone-di-esecuzione/)
- [Ciak: si muore!](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/ciak-si-muore/)
- [Trappola Bionda](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/trappola-bionda/)
- [Fiabe proibite](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/fiabe-proibite-3/)
- [The Son of the Wolf](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/the-son-of-the-wolf/)
- [Terror](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/terror-8/)
- [Bambole assassine](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/bambole-assassine/)
- [Terror](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/terror-7/)
- [Inedita per Biancaneve by Alessandro Biffignandi](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/inedita-per-biancaneve-by-alessandro-biffignandi/)
- [La tribu degli uomini azzurri](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/la-tribu-degli-uomini-azzurri/)
- [Sukia](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/sukia-13/)
- [La clinica misteriosa](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/la-clinica-misteriosa/)
- [Copertina Notturni by Alessandro Biffignandi](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/copertina-notturni-by-alessandro-biffignandi/)
- [Sukia](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/sukia-12/)
- [Prigioniera nell Harem](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/prigioniera-nell-harem/)
- [Copertina Zora by Alessandro Biffignandi](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/copertina-zora-by-alessandro-biffignandi-3/)
- [Copertina Cimiteria by Alessandro Biffignandi](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/copertina-cimiteria-by-alessandro-biffignandi/)
- [Copertina UFO by Alessandro Biffignandi](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/copertina-ufo-by-alessandro-biffignandi/)
- [Copertina Zora by Alessandro Biffignandi](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/copertina-zora-by-alessandro-biffignandi-2/) - Copertina Zora by Alessandro Biffignandi ; Opens a new tab
- [Sukia](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/sukia-11/)
- [L’Androgino](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/landrogino/)
- [Copertina Zora by Alessandro Biffignandi](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/copertina-zora-by-alessandro-biffignandi/)
- [Omaggio a Diabolik by Alessandro Biffignandi](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/omaggio-a-diabolik-by-alessandro-biffignandi/) - Omaggio a Diabolik by Alessandro Biffignandi ; Opens a new tab
- [Sukia](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/sukia-10/)
- [Copertina Wallestein by Alessandro Biffignandi](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/copertina-wallestein-by-alessandro-biffignandi/)
- [Copertina Biancaneve by Alessandro Biffignandi](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/copertina-biancaneve-by-alessandro-biffignandi/)
- [Copertina Candida by Alessandro Biffignandi](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/copertina-candida-by-alessandro-biffignandi/)
- [Sukia](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/sukia-9/)
- [Terror Blu](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/terror-blu-2/)
- [Vampirissimo](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/vampirissimo-6/)
- [Wallestein il mostro](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/wallestein-il-mostro/)
- [Vampirissimo](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/vampirissimo-5/)
- [Wallestein](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/wallestein-14/)
- [Sukia](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/sukia-8/)
- [Wallestein](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/wallestein-13/)
- [Sukia](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/sukia-7/)
- [Ulula](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/ulula-7/)
- [Jack lo Sventratore, 1989, by Alessandro Biffignandi](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/jack-lo-sventratore-1989-by-alessandro-biffignandi/)
- [Vampirissimo](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/vampirissimo-4/)
- [Il Vampiro](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/il-vampiro-2/)
- [Sukia](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/sukia-6/)
- [Zora](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/zora-25/)
- [Vampirissimo](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/vampirissimo-3/)
- [La Peccatrice by Alessandro Biffignandi](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/la-peccatrice-by-alessandro-biffignandi/)
- [Wallestein](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/wallestein-12/)
- [Wallestein](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/wallestein-11/)
- [Telefilm Prohibido](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/telefilm-prohibido/)
- [Zora](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/zora-24/)
- [Vampirissimo](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/vampirissimo-2/)
- [De Sade](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/de-sade/)
- [Wallestein](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/wallestein-10/)
- [Lo Scheletro](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/lo-scheletro-3/)
- [Zora](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/zora-23/)
- [Wallestein](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/wallestein-9/)
- [Il Vampiro](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/il-vampiro/)
- [Art by Alessandro Biffignandi](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/art-by-alessandro-biffignandi/)
- [Lo Scheletro](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/lo-scheletro-2/)
- [Wallestein](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/wallestein-8/)
- [Zora](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/zora-22/)
- [Zora](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/zora-21/)
- [Cimiteria](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/cimiteria-4/)
- [Zora](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/zora-20/)
- [Ulula](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/ulula-6/)
- [Zora](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/zora-19/)
- [Tabu](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/tabu/)
- [Ulula](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/ulula-5/)
- [Fiabe Proibite by Alessandro Biffignandi](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/fiabe-proibite-by-alessandro-biffignandi/)
- [Zora](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/zora-18/)
- [Zora la vampira - Lo spirito di Peter Bell, 1979, by Alessandro Biffignandi](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/zora-la-vampira-lo-spirito-di-peter-bell-1979-by-alessandro-biffignandi/)
- [Terror](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/terror-6/)
- [Zora](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/zora-17/)
- [Zora](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/zora-16/)
- [Biancaneve](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/biancaneve-3/)
- [Hembras](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/hembras-2/)
- [Zora](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/zora-15/)
- [Unknown](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/unknown/)
- [Hembras](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/hembras/)
- [Zora](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/zora-14/)
- [Zora](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/zora-13/)
- [Oltretomba](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/oltretomba-5/)
- [Zora](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/zora-12/)
- [Orror by Alessandro Biffignandi](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/orror-by-alessandro-biffignandi/)
- [Oltretomba](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/oltretomba-4/)
- [Terror](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/terror-5/) - Terror ; Opens a new tab
- [Biancaneve](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/biancaneve-2/)
- [Vampirissimo](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/vampirissimo/)
- [Oltretomba](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/oltretomba-3/)
- [Wallestein](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/wallestein-7/)
- [La Poliziotta](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/la-poliziotta-5/)
- [Avventura ad Acapulco](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/avventura-ad-acapulco/)
- [Zora](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/zora-11/)
- [Biancaneve](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/biancaneve/)
- [Terror](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/terror-4/)
- [Ulula](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/ulula-4/)
- [Wallestein](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/wallestein-6/)
- [Terror](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/terror-3/)
- [Wallestein](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/wallestein-5/)
- [Ulula](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/ulula-3/)
- [La Poliziotta](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/la-poliziotta-4/)
- [Wallestein](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/wallestein-4/)
- [Casino](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/casino/)
- [Fiabe Colorate](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/fiabe-colorate/)
- [Zora](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/zora-10/) - Zora ; Opens a new tab
- [Tabu by Alessandro Biffignandi](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/tabu-by-alessandro-biffignandi/)
- [Lucifera by Averardo Ciriello](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/lucifera-by-averardo-ciriello-2/)
- [Zora](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/zora-9/)
- [Ulula](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/ulula-2/)
- [Zora](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/zora-8/)
- [Fiabe Proibite](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/fiabe-proibite-2/)
- [Vipera Bionda](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/vipera-bionda-2/)
- [Wallestein](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/wallestein-3/)
- [Fasma by Alessandro Biffignandi](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/fasma-by-alessandro-biffignandi/)
- [Ulula](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/ulula/)
- [Sukia](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/sukia-5/)
- [Sukia](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/sukia-4/)
- [Zora](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/zora-7/)
- [La Poliziotta](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/la-poliziotta-3/)
- [Zora](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/zora-6/)
- [Zora](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/zora-5/)
- [Vipera Bionda](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/vipera-bionda/)
- [La Poliziotta](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/la-poliziotta-2/)
- [Wallestein](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/wallestein-2/)
- [La Poliziotta](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/la-poliziotta/)
- [Contes Malicieux](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/contes-malicieux-2/)
- [Zora](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/zora-4/)
- [Sukia](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/sukia-3/)
- [Fiabe Proibite](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/fiabe-proibite/)
- [Art by Emanuele Taglietti](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/art-by-emanuele-taglietti/)
- [Zora](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/zora-3/)
- [Lucifera](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/lucifera/)
- [L'immagine del male](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/limmagine-del-male/)
- [Fox](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/fox/)
- [Zora](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/zora-2/)
- [Cimiteria - Il tesoro di Attila (1977) by Alessandro Biffignandi](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/cimiteria-il-tesoro-di-attila-1977-by-alessandro-biffignandi/)
- [Artwork by Emanuele Taglietti](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/artwork-by-emanuele-taglietti-4/)
- [Fox (1986) by Emanuele Taglietti](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/fox-1986-by-emanuele-taglietti/)
- [Terror](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/terror-2/)
- [Sexy Favole](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/sexy-favole/)
- [Sukia & Zora](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/sukia-zora/)
- [Zora](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/zora/)
- [Maghella - IL mago di Zoz by Averardo Ciriello](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/maghella-il-mago-di-zoz-by-averardo-ciriello/)
- [Cimiteria](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/cimiteria-3/)
- [Oltretomba](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/oltretomba-2/)
- [Artwork by Emanuele Taglietti](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/artwork-by-emanuele-taglietti-3/)
- [Sanguinari N.29 - "Merce Sanguinante" - maggio 1977](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/sanguinari-n-29-merce-sanguinante-maggio-1977/)
- [La Schiava](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/la-schiava-2/)
- [Sukia](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/sukia-2/)
- [Artwork by Emanuele Taglietti](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/artwork-by-emanuele-taglietti-2/)
- [La Schiava](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/la-schiava/)
- [Wallestein](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/wallestein/)
- [Terror](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/terror/)
- [Belzeba](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/belzeba-2/)
- [Il sabba delle beffe - gennaio 1985 by Emanuele Taglietti](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/il-sabba-delle-beffe-gennaio-1985-by-emanuele-taglietti/)
- [Uranella](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/uranella/)
- [Lo Scheletro](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/lo-scheletro/)
- [Terror Blu](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/terror-blu/)
- [Belzeba](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/belzeba/)
- [Oltretomba](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/oltretomba/)
- [Naga by alessandro biffignandi](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/naga-by-alessandro-biffignandi/)
- [Artwork by Emanuele Taglietti](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/artwork-by-emanuele-taglietti/)
- [Cimiteria](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/cimiteria-2/)
- [Frankenstein by Alessandro Biffignandi](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/frankenstein-by-alessandro-biffignandi/)
- [Cimiteria](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/cimiteria/)
- [Playcolt](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/playcolt-2/)
- [Playcolt](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/playcolt-4/)
- [Playcolt](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/playcolt-3/)
- [Contes Malicieux](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/contes-malicieux/)
- [Sukia](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/sukia/) - Sukia
- [Texana by Alessandro Biffignandi](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/texana-by-alessandro-biffignandi/)
- [Lucifera by Averardo Ciriello](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/lucifera-by-averardo-ciriello/)
- [Playcolt](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/playcolt/)
- ["I Protettori" - Wallestein by Alessandro Biffignandi](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/i-protettori-wallestein-by-alessandro-biffignandi/)
- [La Poliziotta by Emanuele Taglietti](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/la-poliziotta-by-emanuele-taglietti/)
- [I Mummificati Vivi by Alessandro Biffignandi](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/portfolio/i-mummificati-vivi-by-alessandro-biffignandi/)

## Block Library

- [Test](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/bg-block/test/) - Test

## Categories

- [Uncategorized](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/category/uncategorized/)
- [Suicide](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/category/suicide/)
- [Homicide](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/category/homicide/)
- [Accident](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/category/accident/)
- [Decomposition](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/category/decomposition/)
- [Mummification](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/category/mummification/)
- [Autoerotic Death](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/category/autoerotic-death/)
- [Hanging](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/category/hanging/)
- [Monthly Magazine](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/category/monthly-magazine/)
- [Monthly Magazine AD](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/category/monthly-magazine-ad/)
- [Medical](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/category/medical/)
- [Animal Scavenging](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/category/animal-scavenging/)
- [Aircrash](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/category/aircrash/)
- [Gunshot](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/category/gunshot/)
- [Asphyxiation](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/category/asphyxiation/)
- [Explosion](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/category/explosion/)
- [Merch](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/category/merch/)
- [Drowning](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/category/drowning/)
- [Fire](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/category/fire/)
- [Serial Killers](https://www.hermantheshocker.com/category/serial-killers/)
~~~

## llms-full

Not found.