Exchanged identities in a complex multiple homicide case. Identification and cause of death

Abstract

We report a multiple homicide in Angola involving six Portuguese citizens. Immediately after the crime, four bodies were retrieved from the homicide site. Forensic autopsies were allegedly performed by local doctors and three bodies were transferred to Portugal, where they were buried with no extra expertise, presumably identified only by the examinations carried out in Angola. The two remaining bodies, presumably from sub-adults, were only discovered 1 year later. At that time, some bone samples of these two corpses were sent to Portugal. A multidisciplinary team of the National Institute of Legal Medicine (NILM) in Portugal, including forensic anthropologist and pathologists, and forensic geneticist, found out that the bodies were previously misidentified. In fact, the anthropological and genetic examinations on the remains of the two persons showed that they did not belong to a child and an adolescent but instead to two adult victims, at least one of them was supposed to be buried in Portugal since 1 year. The verification of this misunderstanding led to a series of exhumations, of the three victims previously buried in Portugal. In all, the identities were reconstructed and the cause of death could be established in four of them. A multiplicity of severe traumatic cranial injuries were detected, which were, undoubtedly due to a violent death.