OCT 8, 2021
How Gabby Petito autopsy will reveal her body 'had visible signs of trauma from attack', forensic scientist claims (the-sun.com)
Jennifer Shen, retired San Diego Police Department Crime Laboratory Director, has given her opinion on why her full autopsy results are yet to be released.
In an exclusive interview with The Sun, she said: "The death was referred to as a homicide very quickly after her body was found.
"This generally indicates the cause of death was pretty apparent to those that found her.
"I would assume there was visible trauma consistent with some kind of attack (i.e. gunshot wounds, knife wounds, obvious signs of strangulation etc.).
[...]
Shen, a forensic scientist with 29 years of experience in the field, said: "If an identifiable weapon was used, the forensic investigators would be trying to connect it to the murderer and the body.
"This could be done in a variety of ways. First, it would be important to show the wounds were consistent with the recovered weapon.
"If the weapon was a gun, they would attempt to match it to any bullets/cartridge casings found at the scene, or in her body.
"The gun could be traced to see where it came from, and its transactional history. In addition, physical evidence such as blood, touch DNA, prints, or trace evidence could tie the gun to the scene, or to the killer.
"A knife or other weapon would yield much of the same evidence. Finding clothing fibers, hair, blood, trace evidence from the body on the knife would tie it to Gabby’s body.
[...]
"Fingerprints, trace evidence, touch DNA and sometimes even blood (often suspects cut themselves in a knife attack) could tie the knife to Brian.
"An effort would also be made to track the origin of the weapon through receipts, manufacturer etc., to see if it can be connected to the killer in that way as well."
[...]
