Forensic pathologist outlines autopsies at coroner’s inquest

The first person to testify Thursday was Dr. Derek Musgrove, a forensic pathologist. He performed autopsies on Bonnie Burns, Gregory Burns, Lydia Gloria Burns, Christian Head, Lana Head, and Damien Sanderson.

Dr. Musgrove, who was trained and studied in Jamaica, Bahamas, Washington D.C. and Baltimore, testified that he has been involved in performing over 1,400 autopsies. He has been qualified in no less than four previous coroners’ inquests. During the autopsies police, forensic investigators, Major Crimes, and an autopsy tech are typically on hand.

BONNIE BURNS AUTOPSY

Dr. Musgrove said that he performed the autopsy of Bonnie Burns in the autopsy suite at City Hospital in Saskatoon. The other autopsies discussed on Thursday were also performed in the same suite.

Testimony revealed that Bonnie Burns had two stab wounds in her neck; one that injured the trachea and thyroid gland, and vessels along the wound path. Musgrove said there were ‘copious’ amounts of blood inside the neck and in the stomach. The second wound was in the lower neck and damaged muscles in the neck and chest.

The autopsy also revealed that Burns’ left coronary artery was 70 per cent blocked. Musgrove testified that it was possible that could have played a factor in her death, as coronary artery disease impedes blood flow.

The cause of death was listed as stab wounds to the neck.

Burns’ toxicology report was negative for drugs and alcohol, and Musgrave said toxicology reports are standard with any autopsy.

He testified that wounds to the neck tend to be rapidly fatal due to the proximity of the blood vessels to the heart. Musgrove’s opinion is that Burns’ death would have resulted within 2 to 10 minutes.

Her death occurred between 6:36 a.m. and 6:53 a.m.

GREGORY BURNS AUTOPSY

The 28-year-old was stabbed six times in Myles Sanderson’s rampage.

One of the stab wounds was in his neck, affecting his jugular vein, and injuring the thyroid gland, trachea, and muscles in his neck. The wound also went into the upper portion of the chest cavity. There was a significant hemorrhage in Burns’ neck and 1450 millilitres (ml) of blood in his chest.

Burns also suffered stab wounds to his right shoulder, abdomen, right forearm, and two in his upper back. Dr. Musgrave also listed abrasions on Burns’ hands, torso, and extremities. He testified that any wound in the extremities, including arms, forearms, hands, legs, and thighs, are usually associated with defensive-type injuries.

The stab wound in Burns’ neck led to his death within 2 to 10 minutes of the injury, according to Musgrave.

The toxicology report on Burns was positive for methamphetamine, cocaine, and THC metabolite (marijuana). However, Musgrave testified they were non-factors in his death, as his heart rate would have already been elevated due to him being in an excited state due to the attack by Myles Sanderson.

It was determined that Gregory Burns died between 6 a.m. and 6:17 a.m. Sept. 4, 2022.

LYDIA GLORIA BURNS AUTOPSY

Musgrave testified that the 61-year-old received just one wound, a stab wound on the right side of the neck. However, the stabbing injured the trachea and left internal carotid artery, as well as the left lung. There was blood inside the left chest cavity.

The autopsy also revealed that Burns suffered from an enlarged heart due to high blood pressure, and she had an artery that was 80 per cent blocked.

While the heart issues could have been a complicating factor, the cause of death was the stab wound of the neck. There were no defensive wounds, and the toxicology report was negative.

Dr. Musgrave’s opinion was that Burns would have died in two to 10 minutes.

Burns died sometime between 6:36 a.m. and 6:53 a.m. Sept. 4.

CHRISTIAN HEAD AUTOPSY

The autopsy determined that Christian Head received seven stab wounds and two cutting wounds in the attack.

Head was stabbed in the cheek, which would have led to blood loss; however no vital structures were injured.

A stab wound in his upper right chest injured Head’s right lung, and a stab wound in his lower left chest injured his heart, causing 490 ml of blood to pool inside his pericardium (heart sac).

A stab wound in his mid-back injured Head’s left lung, causing blood in his chest cavity.

Two more wounds were noted in his upper back, with one entering the soft tissue of the chest wall. Neither caused injury to vital structures.

A wound in the left side of his upper chest did not injure any vital structures. There were also superficial cuts on his left cheek and shoulder.

The toxicology result revealed the presence of alcohol and cocaine metabolite, meaning cocaine was consumed at some point.

The most catastrophic injury was the one that injured his heart and pericardium. Musgrove testified that death could have occurred almost instantly, but certainly within 10 minutes.

The cause of death is listed as stab wounds of the chest and back.

Christian Head died between 5:55 a.m. and 6:13 a.m.

LANA HEAD AUTOPSY

Dr. Musgrove testified that Lana Head received five stab wounds and one cutting wound. There were three stab wounds to the head and neck area and two to the torso.

The 49-year-old was stabbed in the left ear and left cheek, and was cut on the left cheek as well.

A stab wound to the neck injured an artery and a vein under the collarbone, and also entered the right chest cavity, causing 500 ml of blood to enter the chest cavity. This wound was the most significant injury sustained and was the cause of death.

The right shoulder and left shoulder were each stabbed, with no vital structures injured.

Cocaine metabolite and THC (marijuana) metabolite were noted in the toxicology report.

The forensic pathologist said it took between 2 and 10 minutes for Head to die, and her time of death was between 5:55 a.m. and 6:13 a.m. Sept. 4.

DAMIEN SANDERSON AUTOPSY

Damien Sanderson’s autopsy was the first performed. According to Musgrove, that was only because his body was the first to be delivered to the autopsy suite.

Sanderson was stabbed five times by his brother Myles.

The most significant stab wounds Damien suffered were to the left side of the middle back, and the back of the left arm.

The wound on the left side of the mid-back entered his left lung, and 150 ml of clotted blood entered the inside of his left chest cavity.

The wound in the back of his left arm entered the chest cavity as well, contributing to the amount of clotted blood in the cavity.

Damien was also stabbed in the left shoulder, the left side of the upper back, and the front of the left arm, with no vital structures injured.

Air was also observed in the chest cavity.

Dr. Musgrove testified that the injuries Damien suffered are consistent with the RCMP findings that he was stabbed by Myles in a vehicle.

The autopsy also revealed that Damien had entered a state of early decomposition, with his body not being found until the following day.

The toxicology report noted positive results for the presence of alcohol, methamphetamine, and cocaine, along with a prescription drug (Duloxetine – often used to treat depression and anxiety) and THC metabolite.

Musgrove noted that metabolites indicate the deceased ingested something at some point, while the presence of a drug indicates more recent consumption.

The cause of death is listed as multiple stab wounds.

Musgrove testified that Damien’s death could have occurred within minutes, or it could have taken over an hour.

It was determined that Damien died sometime between 5:40 a.m. and 6:50 a.m. Sept. 4.

After the autopsies were discussed, Dr. Musgrove was asked whether medical intervention could have saved any of the first victims discussed before Damien. He said considering the time it takes for ambulances to get to James Smith and the extent of their injuries, it’s unlikely they would have lived in those circumstances.

The coroner’s inquest is a fact-finding exercise to determine the events leading up to the deaths of the 11 people killed at James Smith Cree Nation and Weldon, and the circumstances surrounding the injuries sustained by 17 others on Sept. 4, 2022.

The jury in this inquest is not to determine fault but to look at the circumstances and make recommendations to prevent similar incidents from happening.

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cam.lee@pattisonmedia.com

by Cam Lee

Forensic pathologist outlines autopsies at coroner’s inquest

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