Day 6

February 3, 2010
Case 1
Black M, approx 25 YO
Suicide by carbon monoxide inhalation from car exhaust
Deceased had a history of threatening self-harm “to get his way”. No signs of self-mutilation on body, no trauma.
Gastric contents were thick, tan-white, and oatmeal-like, smelled strongly of beer. Investigator reported that three cans were open in the car.
Deceased reportedly committed suicide over a girl.
Upper body was very pink due to CO inhalation.
COD CO poisoning (suicide)

Case 2
Caucasian F, approx 20-25 YO
Suicide (OD)
Deceased had received medical attention, was intubated.
Peculiar brownish-green bruising over upper eyelids of both eyes (similar to “raccoon eyes” found in victims of basilar skull fractures)
No trauma to body
COD OD (suicide)

I drew the CO suicide, young and strong and lean. His skin was light and his upper body was bright pink from the CO inhalation. When cut, brilliant red blood, movie-red blood, flowed surprisingly copiously from the severed neck vessels, bottom and top, side and side. The muscles were as bright a red as the blood, pinker, even, and the organs were likewise, the lungs dark, resonant crimson splotched with lighter red, the tiny vessels over every organ flushed and fine. The arteries in the brain were beautifully visible, latticed and fanned and lacey-red over the pinky pale crevices and bulges of that great organ.

He committed suicide over a girl. He closed the garage door, climbed in his car and drank three beers to bolster his courage, and turned on the engine. First, he would have developed a headache. He’d feel nauseous and tired, and then his heart would have sped up and he would have been dizzy, confused, maybe he hallucinated. His vision clouded with darkness, he convulsed, couldn’t breathe, and passed out, slumped over between the driver’s and passenger’s seats, and died. He killed himself over a girl.

“You showed her!” Greg 2 told him, as he sawed through the clavicles.