Hannah Graham was a bright and promising student at the University of Virginia who went missing on September 13, 2014, after a night out with friends. She was last seen on surveillance video walking with a man identified as Jesse Matthew, a former hospital orderly and a suspect in several sexual assault cases. Five weeks later, her remains were found on an abandoned property in Albemarle County, Virginia. But what exactly caused her death? And why was it so hard to determine?
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Homicidal Violence of Undetermined Etiology
On November 18, 2014, the Albemarle County Police Department announced that Graham’s death was ruled a homicide, but the cause of death was “homicidal violence of undetermined etiology”. This means that the medical examiner could not pinpoint the exact mechanism or manner of how Graham died, only that it was the result of a violent act by another person. According to Wikipedia, this could be due to several factors, such as the decomposition of the body, the lack of visible injuries, the absence of toxicological or histological evidence, or the complexity of the case.
The Challenges of Forensic Pathology
Determining the cause of death is not always a straightforward task, especially in cases involving decomposed or skeletonized remains. Forensic pathologists rely on various methods and techniques to examine the body and its tissues, such as autopsy, radiology, microscopy, toxicology, and DNA analysis. However, these methods have their limitations and challenges, and sometimes they may not provide enough information to reach a definitive conclusion. According to USA Today, some of the factors that can complicate the determination of the cause of death include:
The time elapsed between the death and the discovery of the body. The longer the time, the more the body is exposed to environmental factors, such as temperature, humidity, insects, animals, and microorganisms, that can alter or destroy the evidence of the cause of death.
The location and condition of the body. The body may be buried, submerged, burned, mutilated, or otherwise damaged, making it difficult to access or identify the body parts or organs involved in the death.
The nature and extent of the injuries. The injuries may be multiple, overlapping, or conflicting, making it hard to determine which one was fatal or contributory. The injuries may also be subtle, internal, or non-specific, requiring specialized tests or equipment to detect or measure them.
The presence or absence of other factors. The body may have pre-existing medical conditions, diseases, or drugs that could affect the cause of death. The body may also have post-mortem changes, such as rigor mortis, livor mortis, or algor mortis, that could confuse the estimation of the time of death.
The Implications of the Undetermined Cause of Death
The undetermined cause of death does not mean that the death was accidental or natural, nor does it mean that the death was unsolvable or unprosecutable. It simply means that the medical examiner could not provide a specific answer to the question of how Graham died, based on the available evidence. However, this does not preclude the possibility of finding other evidence that could support the homicide charge, such as eyewitness testimony, surveillance footage, DNA analysis, or confession. In fact, Jesse Matthew pleaded guilty to murdering Graham and was sentenced to life imprisonment in 2016. He was also found guilty and given three additional life sentences for other, previous crimes, including the murder of Morgan Harrington, another Virginia student who disappeared in 2009.
The undetermined cause of death also does not diminish the tragedy and loss of Graham’s life, nor does it lessen the grief and pain of her family and friends. Graham was a beloved daughter, sister, friend, and student, who had a bright future ahead of her. She was described as smart, kind, adventurous, and compassionate, by those who knew her. Her death was a senseless and horrific act that shocked and saddened the community and the nation. Her memory and legacy live on in the hearts and minds of those who loved her and those who seek justice for her.
