Thank you for that Sunnie, and here's my :twocents: (Continuing with the iceberg.)
Unexplained blunt force trauma to the head 4 locations
Unexplained tape residue on both legs.
Complete absence of any marks on the face and torso of RN despite (according to the LE theory) falling head first over a sharp and unforgiving metal railing. A broken nose and multiple abrasions would be likely.
Unexplained extensive abrasions on the back or RN making it far more probable that either she went over the balcony railing upright, or was dragged over some other surface.
The LE explanation that it was the result of contact with the foliage below is unlikely, IMO.
I do believe that some marks would be likely through contact with the foliage, but I find it difficult to imagine that it would be that widespread.
This was a long drop hanging of 9 feet, 2 inches, yet there is a complete absence of spinal injuries.
The ligature furrow indicates that the placement of the ligature was above the larynx, but there is a fracture of the cricoid which is well below.
The face of RN shows very extensive petechiae. This points to venous constriction, but not arterial constriction, IOW, blood was flowing into the head but was unable to return back to the heart.
Why? As mentioned previously, this was a long drop hanging, generating tremendous force, which a rope expert estimated at 600 pounds.
This means that both arterial and venous blood flow should have been simultaneously and instantly interrupted. Was she manually strangled and the hanging staged?
Why are her feet bound? While its true that people committing suicide will, on occasion, tie their hands to make sure they cant change their mind and struggle free, there is no reason, whatsoever, to bind the feet.
The complexity of the knots points to someone other than RN. Someone unfamiliar with knots would have had to do a computer search, and practice, in order to successfully be able to do what RN did. Did LE examine the relevant computers to make a determination?
There is a demonstration of how the knots were tied on the SDCSD website, but how much time and how many practice runs before that woman was able to tie that knot?
Why was she gagged? Again, this has nothing to do with suicide and everything to do with homicide.
No history of depression or suicidal ideation.
If this was suicide, RN would have to formulate a very complex and bizarre plan, including learning how to tie a complex knot in about 2 hours.
The fact that a woman has never hung herself while naked, bound and gagged should, in and of itself, tilt the investigation toward homicide.
