This summary organizes the factual details extracted from a detailed transcript of Dr. Kohr’s testimony on 24 October 2024, regarding the autopsy findings for the two victims, Abby Williams and Liberty German.

Victim 1: Abby Williams

  • Estimated Measurements: 64 inches long, approximately 95 lbs.
  • Clothing: Black hoodie, blue jeans, gray sports bra, black bra, and a pink camisole.
  • External Examination:
    • Single incision across the neck, approximately 5 cm long (about 2 inches).
    • Significant gaping of the wound due to muscle fiber retraction, measuring 2 to 2.5 inches wide.
    • Very faint linear marks across her face, suggestive of cloth or duct tape, but no adhesive residue was found. These marks were later clarified to be primarily on her chin, leading Dr. Kohr to conclude her mouth was likely not covered.
    • A small, very minor abrasion on her lips with no further explanation given as to its potential cause.
    • Evidence of lividity on her back suggesting she was laying on her back for several hours, potentially on debris, prior to being moved.
    • Smears of blood on her right arm, potentially from putting on or removing clothing before her death.
    • No defensive wounds were observed.
    • No blunt force trauma observed.
  • Internal Examination:
    • Partial transsection (partial cut) of the left jugular vein.
    • No injuries suggestive of traumatic sexual contact. Dr. Kohr emphasized this does not definitively rule out sexual contact.
  • Sexual Assault Kit:
    • Standard components (blood sample, swabs, etc.) were collected.
    • Fingernail scrapings were not possible due to severely short nails from biting.
    • Multiple hairs, source unknown, were found on the body and collected in the kit.
  • Cause of Death: While not explicitly stated, it can be inferred to be blood loss from the neck wound (exsanguination), but contributing factors were not addressed.
  • Estimated Time of Death: Consistent with death occurring 40-41 hours prior to autopsy, but may be consistent with other time ranges.
  • Additional Notes: Dr. Kohr noted the importance of considering autonomic nervous system responses and the shock system in cases like this, leading to prioritization of blood flow to vital organs.

Victim 2: Liberty German

  • Estimated Measurements: 64 inches long, approximately 200 lbs.
  • External Examination:
    • Multiple incisions to the throat, with at least four separate cuts and potentially a fifth.
      • The wound on the far right consisted of two cuts in an “X” pattern.
      • The wound on the left side showed scalloped edges, initially thought to be indicative of a serrated knife. Dr. Kohr revised this conclusion after his deposition, speculating the marks might be from the hilt of a box cutter or another weapon with a patterned handle.
      • A possible second pass on the center wound, making a total of four or possibly five incisions.
    • Most wounds were vertically oriented.
    • A small, superficial incision below the left shoulder, possibly about 1 cm in length (not officially measured).
    • Small abrasions below the throat.
    • Small abrasion between the wound on the left side and the center wound.
    • Hands were bagged at an unspecified point before arrival at the morgue.
    • No defensive wounds were observed.
    • No restraint wounds were observed.
  • Internal Examination:
    • Partially transected left carotid artery.
    • Fully transected right carotid artery and right jugular vein.
    • Mild cerebral edema present.
    • No trauma to the sex organs observed, but no opinion was provided regarding sexual activity before death.
  • Sexual Assault Kit:
    • Standard components were collected.
    • Miscellaneous swabs from her thigh were noted but their provenance (where and when they were taken) remains unclear.
  • Cause of Death: While not explicitly stated, it can be inferred to be blood loss from the neck wounds (exsanguination).
  • Estimated Time of Death: Death likely occurred within 5 to 10 minutes, perhaps even closer to 5 minutes, due to the nature of the artery injuries.
  • Additional Notes: Dr. Kohr noted blood on Libby’s hands, suggesting she likely tried to cover her wounds to slow the blood loss. The presence of mild cerebral edema indicated that her death was not instantaneous, taking a few minutes to develop.

General Observations or Overarching Forensic Conclusions

  • Precise determination of time of death is challenging in both cases.
  • Both girls’ injuries are consistent with sharp force trauma.
  • While a specific weapon could not be definitively determined, Dr. Kohr initially concluded a serrated knife was used. He later revised his opinion based on a later analysis of the wound patterns and suggested a box cutter as a potential weapon. This is controversial due to the timing of Dr. Kohr’s change of opinion; the consideration of a box cutter came about after contact with the prosecutor in 2024, and was not based on supplemental investigation or a supplemental report.
  • One knife could have potentially caused all the wounds.