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You are here: Home / Forensics / Elizabeth Heath autopsy details

Elizabeth Heath autopsy details

May 2, 2012 By Alice

NaMus poster of Elizabeth Heath missing since 1984More details have appeared in the Hartford Courant about Elizabeth Heath‘s violent death.

Dr. H. Wayne Carver, the chief state medical examiner, was in charge of Elizabeth’s autopsy. It was not easy for him. Elizabeth’s remains covered 188 separate envelopes.

“Gough Heath’s maxilla — the upper jaw — had been traumatically amputated from the skull, the warrant states. There also were four separate areas where her skull had been crushed, it states. 

Carver also found during the autopsy that two arm bones were broken, which is consistent with Gough Heath having defended herself by putting her arms up.

The position of the bones indicated that the body had been wrapped in the bedding and placed headfirst in the hole.”

If you read the article, pay attention to the many inconsistencies in John’s story.

But the real mystery is at the end of the article: “And blood found on an end table seized from the home Heath shared with his new wife, Raquel, was found not to belong to either Heath or Gough Heath, the warrant states.”

Who did that table belong to previously? Had it been bought second hand? Can we test for DNA? And, if it isn’t Elizabeth’s blood how does it pertain to the case?

Case: Elizabeth Heath-Gough went missing in 1984 while she was divorcing her husband. John Heath had reported his wife missing on April 6, 1984. Heath’s family had Elizabeth declared dead in 1991. In 2010, Elizabeth’s remains were found during a home renovation on the property at 89 Poverty Hollow Road. That is where the couple used to live. John Heath left the property in 2005 when the bank foreclosed on the home. Elizabeth was identified by dental records. Examination found that Elizabeth had been beaten to death. She was killed by at least four blows to her head with a “narrow, heavy” club-like weapon. Then she was wrapped in bedclothes and plastic bags before she was shoved head-first into the 3-feet deep, 18-inch square dry well. In 2013, a jury found John Heath guilty.

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Filed Under: Forensics, Unsolved Tagged With: Autopsy, Connecticut, Crime Scene, Elizabeth Heath, Forensics, Missing Person, Unsolved Homicide, Victim

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Author Notes

I write about old, unsolved cases from the pre-DNA era. They need renewed media attention. I only do research and leave active investigation of these cases to professionals.

Posts include homicides, missing and unidentified people, wrongful convictions, and forensics as related to these cases.

On book reviews: I only review select works of true crime, crime fiction, and historical fiction/mysteries. The stories have to fit my website's theme and research. It remains my prerogative to not review a book. Please check the FAQ page for more.

My databases are sorted by the victim’s last name. They are free to the public.

If you have any questions about my website please check the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page, the about page, and the tabs in both menu bars. If you cannot find the answers there, please contact me.

Thank you,

Alice de Sturler

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