Decedent: Oswald, Lee Harvey.
Date
of examination: 4 Oct.1981.
Place
of examination: Baylor Medical Center, Dallas, TX.
Time
of examination: 10:00 a.m. (CDT).
The
remains were received in a moderately rotting wood coffin measuring 203 cm (80
in.) in length with a depth of 61 cm (24 in.) and an estimated width of 61 cm
(24 in.) with the thickness of the casket sides being approximately 2.5 cm (1
in.).5 The exterior aspects of the coffin showed moisture softening
of the wood and a diffuse dark brown-black splotchy discoloration with several
markedly tarnished apparent metallic ornaments noted about the sides. The above
measurements do not include the wooden top of the casket which dismembered upon
removal from the casket itself.
The
interior of the casket showed similar splotchy brown-black discoloration and
moisture-softening of the wood texture. A portion of fabric mesh material,
representing remnants of the fabric lining of the top of the casket, had fallen
upon the decomposed remains covering the anterior torso area. This was removed
to reveal a clothed markedly decomposed body lying on its back upon the casket
floor, lower extremities extended and straight with the upper extremities
flexed at the elbow and with the hands resting upon the anterior abdomen at the
approximate level of the waist. The skull faced anteriorly. The body rested
upon a straw mat bedding material, markedly rotten, which currently possessed a
thickness of approximately 2.5 cm (1 in.).
The
clothing upon the body showed variable degrees of disintegration caused by
postmortem change. The clothing was in normal position upon the remains with
the outer layer of clothing consisting of relatively intact coarse-woven dark
(dark-brown) suit coat and matching trousers secured about the waist by elastic
band rather than belt. Few remnants of a disintegrated light-colored shirt were
identified and a relatively intact black standard necktie was in usual position
within the anterior torso midline and about the neck. A relatively intact pair
of white with green diamond pattern boxer undershorts were also in position
upon the body in addition to dark socks upon the feet; shoes or remnants
thereof were not identified within the casket. The body, with the exception of
the skull, as will be described, was not removed from the casket nor was it
dislodged, therefore, the posterior aspects of the clothing and body were not
examined. None of the clothing was incised or removed from the body.
Upon
entry into the casket a moderate malodor emanated from the decomposing body. As
measured in the casket from superior skull to heel region on the left, a body
length of 177 cm (69 ½ in.) was obtained. A gold wedding band and a red stone
ring were removed from the fifth digit of the left hand (subsequently
identified by Mrs. Porter as representative of items placed upon the body at
the time of initial burial). The head structures will be described below. The
clothing present upon the anterior torso was displaced laterally revealing
diffusely decomposed markedly shriveled and shrunken friable soft tissue which,
where remaining, showed primarily saponification and adipocere formation with a
pair of postmortem tissue disintegration defects noted within the bilateral
pectoral chest areas measuring 15.25 cm (6 in.) on the left and 10.2 cm (4 in.)
on the right. The remaining anterolateral ribs were markedly friable and
crumbled with mild pressure. The majority of the soft tissue of the anteroabdominal
wall was totally disintegrated and contained within the body cavity was a
beige plastic bag measuring 69 by 50cm (27 by 191/2 in.) with an approximate 28
cm (11-in.) diameter which contained a minimal amount of pasty tan decomposed
tissue estimated at 20 cm3. The existing thoracoabdominal cavity was
limited posteriorly by brown-black friable decomposed soft tissue as described
for the anterior torso. Embalmer stuffing material filled the body cavity. The
exposed feet showed partial skeletoniza-
5The
original measurements were made in inch-pound units.
tion.
The skin covering the lower extremities was markedly shriveled with marked
dissolution of subcutaneous soft tissue and muscle so that the present diameter
of the lower extremities was estimated at approximately one third of the in
life circumference. The intact skin upon the distal lower extremities had a
friable consistency, was more dry than wet, shriveled, and parchment-like. The
length of the right tibia as the body existed within the casket was 38 cm (15
in.). (According to Trotter-Gleser data for white males, the estimated stature
is 174 cm (5 ft 8 ½ in.)
The
body as existed in the coffin showed no evidence of mutilation other than
postmortem disintegration; the same statement applied to the remaining
clothing. Patchy areas of variable-colored mold formation were also noted about
the body exterior. The body was maintained in anatomic continuity by virtue of
decomposed soft tissue. The remains and casket were devoid of maggots with few
crawling insect forms noted.
The
head was removed from the remainder of the body by incision of the mummified
soft tissue maintaining the skull, cervical and thoracic vertebral column in
normal continuity. This incision was made at the approximate second cervical
vertebral interspace. The skull was covered by patchy areas of both mummified
soft tissue as well as adipocere formation. The calvarium for the most part was
free of soft tissue, however, a few strands of approximate 10 cm (4 in.) in
length straight dark brown-black scalp hair were noted embedded within
mummified scalp soft tissue adjacent to the right frontal scalp. A previous
autopsy saw cut in the usual fashion was present on the calvarium with an
anterior inverted V-notch in the right frontal region. The calvarium was
maintained in continuity with the remainder of the skull by virtue of decomposed
mummified tissue. The previously sawed calvarium was not separated nor was it
easily dislodged. The interior of the skull was not examined. The supraorbital
ridges of the skull were male in character and the nasal aperture was slightly
ovoid with a sharp inferior sill. The mastoid prominence of the left temporal
bone revealed an irregularly ovoid 1.0- by 0.5-cm defect penetrating to the
interior of the mastoid bone with the defect edges rounded and smooth (Fig. 2).
The mandible was maintained in anatomic continuity with the skull by virtue of
decomposed soft tissue at the areas of articulation with the skull and by an
embalmer wire perforating the maxillary and mandibular anterior jaw
structures. This wire was cut and the mandible was readily disarticulated from
the base of the skull so as to enable postmortem dental examination.
No
incisions upon the body were made except for that necessary for removal of the
skull from the vertebral column and for subsequent disarticulation of the
mandible and exposure of the dentition. Because of the friable condition of the
body it was elected to remove the skull only from the casket with minimal
disarticulation of the remains in accordance with the desires of next of kin.
The above examination was performed with the remains within the casket and
without removal. Only manual manipulation of the remains was used so as to
afford the observations noted above. No histologic sections nor toxicologic
specimens were retained.
Dental Examination
Initial
cleansing of the teeth was followed by a series of radiographs and photographs
to document the status of the dentition before any further disruption. After
the mandible (Fig. 3) was disarticulated from the maxilla (Fig. 4), they were
further cleansed, photographed (Fig. 5), radiographed (Figs. 6 and 7), and the
complete dentition independently charted by each forensic odontologist. Dental
study casts were also made (Fig. 8). The complete postmortem charting is in
Fig. 9 with a comparison to the antemortem records in Table 3.
Dental Comparison
It
was necessary to answer two questions concerning the dental records prior to
the disinterment. The first question was that of the date of the dental
interproximal radiographs (Figs. 6 and 7) which Dr. Norton had obtained. From
the list of Available Antemortem Dental Records (Table 4), it is noted that
Oswald's initial dental health record was completed at Marine Corps
(Photos not shown)
FIG. 2-Right (a) and left (b) mastoid
processes of Lee Harvey Oswald as photographed on 4 Oct. 1981. Note the
evidence of prior mastoid surgery in b. (Antemortem records of left
mastoidectomy noted on military enlistment and separation medical records in
October 1956 and September 1959, respectively.)
(Photos not shown)
FIG. 3-The dentition of Lee Harvey Oswald as photographed on 4 Oct. 1981: mandibular teeth: occlusal view
FIG. 4-The dentition of Lee Harvey Oswald as photographed on 4 Oct. 1981: maxillary teeth: occlusal view.
Recruit
Depot in San Diego on 25 Oct.1956. Dental radiographs were made on that date
and also on 27 March 1958 (No.3, Table 4). The teeth indicated as carious and
restored by Oswald's dental health records were compatible with radiographs
made on 27 March 1958.
The
second question was whether or not all inconsistencies in the dental records
could be explained and the records documented as being authentic. Charting
errors are common, especially in a dental health record that has entries by
many different practitioners as in the mili-
(Photos not shown)
FIG. 5-The
dentition of Lee Harvey Oswald as photographed on 4 Oct. 1981: (c) maxillary left quadrant and (d) mandibular left quadrant.
tary. The Forensic Dental Examination Summary (Table 3) indicates that the following errors were found and explainable:
1. Maxillary
right third molar (No. 1, Universal System)
Tooth noted as missing on several examinations and
radiographs was actually unerupted and is not normally found in the
radiographic view used.
2. Maxillary
right second molar (No. 2, Universal System)
(Photos not shown)
FIG. 5-The
dentition of Lee Harvey Oswald as photographed 4 Oct. 1981: (e) maxillary
anterior teeth and (f) mandibular anterior teeth.
Occlusal-lingual
metallic restoration incorrectly charted on 25 Oct.1956 which was really occlusal
caries as documented on radiographs of 27 March 1958. Occlusal-lingual metallic
restoration also was confused with the same restoration in the adjacent tooth
(maxillary right first molar).
3. Maxillary left first premolar (No.
12, Universal System)
Maxillary left second premolar (No. 13, Universal
System)
Maxillary left first molar (No. 14, Universal System)
(x-rays not shown)
FIG. 6-The postmortem and
antemortem dental radiographs of the right maxilla and mandible of Lee Harvey
Oswald: (a, b, and d) postmortem radiographs, 4 Oct. 1981 and (b) antemortem
radiograph, 27 March 1958 No. 3 Maxillary right first molar-restorations demonstrate
more similar radiographic morphology when antemortem angulation (b) is
duplicated in (a) versus that in (c) and (d). No. 5 Maxillary right first
premolar-restoration demonstrates identical radiographic morphology in all
radiographs.
FIG. 7-The postmortem and antemortem dental radiographs of Lee Harvey Oswald of the left maxilla and mandible: (a, C, and d) postmortem radiographs. 4 Oct. 1981 and (b) antemortem radiograph, 27 March 1958 No. 12 Maxillary left first premolar-restoration demonstrates identical radiographic morphology in all radiographs. No. 15 Maxillary left second molar-restoration demonstrates identical radiographic morphology in all radiographs. No. 17 Mandibular left third molar-antemortem angulation (b) is duplicated in (d) resulting in similar tooth contacts in postmortem radiographs. No. 19 Mandibular left first molar-restorations demonstrate similar radiographic morphology in (b) (antemortem) and (c) and (d) (postmortem). No. 20 Mandibular left second premolar-similar pulpal anatomy in (b) (antemortem) and (c) (postmortem).
Compound
error involving charting on 27 March 1958 of: (1) interproximal restorations
versus caries and (2) one tooth anterior in the arch than correct (that is, on
adjacent contact areas of No. 12 and No. 13 versus No. 13 and No. 14) which is
correctly documented on the radiographs of the same date.
4. Maxillary left third molar (No.16,
Universal System)
Same error as maxillary right third molar described
above.
After
much study of the dental records, it was decided independently by each team
member that the dental records were authentic and could be used to support an
identification made from the dentition. Figures 6 and 7 demonstrate the high
degree of consistency between the antemortem and postmortem radiographs.
Identical radiographic morphology was obtained when comparing both sets of
radiographs in the maxillary right first premolar (No. 5), the maxillary left
first premolar (No. 12), and the maxillary left second molar (No. 15); and
similar radiographic morphology was demonstrated in the maxillary right first
molar (No. 3), the maxillary left first molar (No. 14), and the mandibular left
third molar (No. 17). (The Universal Tooth Numbering System was used.)
Additionally, similar pulpal anatomy was demonstrated between antemortem and
postmortem radiographs in the mandibular left second premolar (No. 20).
Based
upon the consistency of the dental charting, the dental radiographs, the dental
records, and the lack of any unexplainable, inconsistent items, positive
dental identification was made.
Summary and Conclusion
A news conference was held at approximately 3:00 p.m. (CDT) on 4 Oct.1981, at Baylor Medical Center for the examination team to announce that based upon the forensic science ex-
(Photo not shown)
FIG. 8-Dental stone casts of Lee Harvey Oswald made on 4 Oct. 1981. Note the bilateral crossbite and the rotation of the maxillary left incisor.