Bodies in wheelie bins

Abstract

The discovery of a body in a wheelie bin is an infrequent occurrence in forensic practice and typically triggers its investigation as a suspicious case. The scene often appears complex or altered and the cause of death may not be readily apparent. However, pathological and investigative evidence may reveal one of a number of causes and manners of death, and not every case will represent a homicide. This talk presents four recent cases from the Department of Forensic Medicine in Sydney, as well as a brief review of the relevant literature, discussing possible causes of death that may present in this way and exploring their features. The discovery of a body in a wheelie bin is an infrequent occurrence in forensic practice and typically triggers its investigation as a suspicious case. The scene often appears complex or altered and the cause of death may not be readily apparent. However, pathological and investigative evidence may reveal one of a number of causes and manners of death, and not every case will represent a homicide. This talk presents four recent cases from the Department of Forensic Medicine in Sydney, as well as a brief review of the relevant literature, discussing possible causes of death that may present in this way and exploring their features.