The Black Dahlia mystery

[Regi]

The killer had hit the exact spot between the second and third lumbar vertebrae which is the easiest point in the spinal column to sever.

To begin with, I'd say that at about the waist is the easiest "spot" to cut a body in half.

(Obviously) to separate the body, the spine has to be severed somehow at some point and the only way to severe the spine using a knife of any kind would be to cut between the vertebra.

[mbrn30000]

To begin with, I'd say that at about the waist is the easiest "spot" to cut a body in half.

(Obviously) to separate the body, the spine has to be severed somehow at some point and the only way to severe the spine using a knife of any kind would be to cut between the vertebra.

Intellectually the inexperienced killer would know that you would not want to cut at the ribs or at the pelvis...but if he had never cut into a body before, he would not know what was going to happen when he cut. He would not know how difficult it is to cut skin, thru fat, to locate bones, avoid organs...i have not idea what it would be like to perform surgery, but I can assume if it was going to be heart surgery, I would most likely go thru the chest..I have no idea what i will encounter, or how much effort it will take. A surgeon would know. A mortician might know, I butcher might be able to generalize his experience of cutting cattle and pigs to humans, A hunter might know the toughness. This person cut a nearly perfect circle around her body right below the navel based on the pictures. He continued to cut and apparenly separated it at the vertabrae. Its easy to say, an inexperienced person would know to look for the weakest point in the spine...but I would think with all the tissue, a person who has never seen it, would have many hacks and saws before he found it. The closest i have ever come is with cleaning a fish or boning a chicken. And both of those take practice and skill. The first chicken you bone, you will most likely miss every joint. You know its there, and that is what you want to cut, but you never can hit it consistently without practice. As far as fish, go watch me clean a fish, since I am not as good a fisherman as a story teller, I get little experience. Then go watch a fish monger at the dock...he will clean that fish in the time it takes me to pay him.

Edited June 29, 2014 by mbrn30000

[Regi]

I've read conflicting accounts re: the findings at autopsy and the bottom line is I don't know what the autopsy findings were which might have demonstrated special skill/knowledge.

I could guess...I would think they'd be apparent, but I don't know.

So...

Here's another case where it was believed that the perp exhibited a certain amount of skill/knowledge.

http://guardianlv.com/2013/04/sonja-mccaskie-olympian-still-one-most-horrific-crimes-after-50-years/

[MSK2121]

Not totally sure how to post/reply on this site; just joined to comment on a post I found. Would love for the person searching for Lynn Martin/other women associated with the Black Dahlia case to reach out to me! Thanks!