The crackdown on organized crime began with the arrest of the mother-in-law.

Chapter 1258 Details of the Dissection Process

The fibers found under the fingernails need to be compared with the metal wires and clothing fibers found at the scene to see if they come from the same source.

To further confirm the cause and time of death, Zhang Sen began an autopsy. He used a scalpel to make an incision along the midline of the abdomen, separating the skin, subcutaneous tissue, and muscles in sequence to expose the abdominal organs. "There was no obvious bleeding in the abdominal cavity. The liver and spleen were of normal size, soft in texture, and without rupture or damage," he said, picking up a small piece of liver tissue with forceps. "The liver surface had no jaundice or spots, indicating that the deceased did not have serious liver disease before death, and also ruling out liver damage caused by poisoning."

During the thoracic dissection, Zhang Sen was even more cautious. Once the sternum was sawed open, the internal condition of the thoracic cavity was clearly revealed—the left lung was significantly collapsed, the lung tissue was dark red, and when the lung tissue was cut open with a scalpel, a large amount of foamy fluid flowed out. The right lung also showed some degree of congestion and edema. "The state of the lung tissue is consistent with death by asphyxiation," Zhang Sen told Xiao Lin. "Normally, lung tissue is pink and soft in texture, but the lungs of someone who died from asphyxiation will become congested and edematous due to lack of oxygen. When cut open, foamy fluid will be present because the alveoli are filled with a mixture of exudate and gas."

He further examined the trachea and bronchi, finding a small amount of white mucus in the trachea. There was no foreign object obstructing the airway, but the tracheal mucosa showed slight congestion. "Combined with the band-like pressure marks on the neck, we can determine the cause of death as mechanical asphyxiation," Zhang Sen summarized. "The suspect used a band-like object, such as a towel or strip of cloth, to compress the victim's neck, causing breathing difficulties and ultimately leading to death from hypoxia. The pressure marks on the neck did not show obvious bleeding because the pressure was moderate and did not cause skin damage, but was enough to block breathing. This situation is common in asphyxiation cases. The suspect may have deliberately controlled the pressure to avoid leaving obvious bloodstains."

Regarding the time of death, Zhang Sen found new evidence during the autopsy. He cut open the stomach wall and found a small amount of partially digested food residue, mainly rice, vegetables, and meat. The food still retained some shape and was not completely emptied. "The degree of digestion in the stomach can help determine the time of death," he explained. "Normally, after food enters the stomach, it takes 2-4 hours for it to undergo initial digestion before entering the small intestine. The fact that there was still a significant amount of food residue in the stomach indicates that the deceased ate within 2-4 hours before death. Combined with the previous estimate of 4-6 hours based on rigor mortis, livor mortis, and corneal opacity, we can further refine the time of death—the deceased died within 2-4 hours after eating. The overall time of death range can be narrowed down to 5-6 hours after death, with an error margin of within 1 hour."

After recording all the autopsy data, Xiaolin asked with a puzzled look, "What is that light brown mark on the deceased's collar? We saw it during the external examination of the body. Could it be related to the cause of death?" Zhang Sen used a cotton swab to collect a small sample of the mark and examined it under a microscope. "The mark is a trace of some kind of liquid that has dried. Preliminary observation shows that it contains a small amount of oil and protein. It doesn't seem like blood or saliva; it's more like food residue or beverage residue. It's possible that the deceased accidentally got it on his food while eating. It's not directly related to the cause of death, but we can use compositional analysis to determine the specific food the deceased ate for his last meal. Perhaps we can find traces of his activities before he died."

As the autopsy neared its end, Zhang Sen summarized all the findings: "The deceased was male, 35-40 years old, 175 cm tall, and weighed approximately 70 kg. The time of death was between 0:00 and 1:00 AM on the day the body was discovered, 5-6 hours after death. The cause of death was mechanical asphyxiation, caused by pressure on the neck from a band-like object. There was slight resistance before death, evidenced by abrasions on the left palm and tree bark fragments and brown fibers under the fingernails. Food residue in the stomach indicated that the deceased had eaten a meal containing rice, vegetables, and meat within 2-4 hours before death. No identification documents or jewelry were found on the body. The clothing was of ordinary brand and had no special markings. Identification needs to be confirmed through DNA comparison or the missing persons database. The fibers from the pressure marks on the neck, the fibers under the fingernails, and the tree bark fragments need to be sent for testing as soon as possible to find clues related to the suspect."

"Could the metal wire found at the scene be a tool left behind by the suspect?" Xiao Lin asked. Zhang Sen nodded: "That's possible. The material and purpose of the metal wire still need to be tested, but considering the pressure marks on the victim's neck, the murder weapon is more likely a soft, ribbon-like object. The metal wire might be another item the suspect was carrying that was accidentally left at the scene, or it might be related to the victim's identity, such as a tool used by the victim at work. These all need further investigation and confirmation."

As the body was resealed and sent to the cold storage, Zhang Sen removed his gas mask, his forehead already covered in sweat. He looked at the autopsy report and the specimen bottles containing the samples on the table; every conclusion had been verified from multiple dimensions to ensure there were no deviations. "Send these samples to the technical department immediately, prioritizing the testing of fibers from the neck indentation, fibers and bark fragments from under the fingernails, and the composition of the collar imprint," he instructed Xiao Lin. "Also, provide Captain Li with key information such as the time and cause of death so they can adjust their investigation direction, focusing on the activities of people around Oriental Park between midnight and 1 a.m., especially suspicious individuals carrying ribbons and wearing size 42 sneakers."

Xiao Lin quickly left the autopsy room with the evidence and report, while Zhang Sen remained, lost in thought, staring at the crime scene photos beside the autopsy table. The sycamore grove, the deck chair, and the scratches on the tree trunks in the photos, along with the neck pressure marks, defensive injuries, and food residue found in the stomach discovered during the autopsy, were gradually forming a chain of clues—although the victim's identity was not yet clear, the precise determination of the time and cause of death had already provided a clear direction for solving the case. He firmly believed that as long as the technical department could find relevant evidence from the evidence, combined with the investigators' screening, they would eventually identify the suspect and bring the truth to light in this murder case that occurred in the morning exercise park.

Meanwhile, in the conference room of the Criminal Investigation Detachment, Li Ming had received Zhang Sen's preliminary autopsy report. Looking at the key information on the report—"asphyxiation due to blood loss," "5-6 hours after death," and "crime involving a ribbon"—he tapped his fingers lightly on the table, then dialed Xiao Wang's number: "Immediately adjust the scope of the surveillance investigation, focusing on suspicious individuals appearing near the east gate of Oriental Park between midnight and 1 a.m., especially those wearing black hoodies and carrying ribbons; also, investigate nearby restaurants and snack shops to see if any had served customers matching the deceased's characteristics before midnight, using the clue of the last meal to identify the deceased."