EFFINGHAM CO.—Effingham County authorities, acting on a request from Disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act, allowed editorial staff to view the autopsy report of Willow Long.
And while the report seems to be by and large unremarkable, there are a couple of notations in it, made by forensic pathologist John Heidingsfelder, that don’t make a lot of sense in context, and remain unexplained.
Willow was the 7-year-old Watson girl who was reported missing—and was the subject of a search that involved literally hundreds of people in sweltering late-Summer conditions—last September 8.
Her body was found after a day and a half of searching, and the autopsy was performed on the day her uncle, Justin DeRyke, now 23, who lived with Willow, her mother Ciara DeRyke and brother Nathaniel, and Justin and Ciara’s parents Deb and Dale DeRyke, was charged with Willow’s murder, Sept. 10.
The autopsy didn’t stick strictly with evidence found on and condition of the body, but ventured into circumstances surrounding the death of the girl. And in those comments remain statements that may only be explained by further examination of the investigatory record, which Disclosure intends to do.
Blood found on a saw
The autopsy was performed on Tuesday, Sept. 10 at 11:30 a.m., about five and a half hours after DeRyke was taken into custody at the Effingham County Jail; Heidingsfelder noted this fact, and the fact that the little girl was reported missing at 10:49 a.m. Sunday, September 8, 2013.
Referencing Ciara DeRyke, Heidingsfelder noted, “The mother was out socializing Saturday night and returned back to the residence at an unknown time. Her brother was babysitting.”
The pathologist then went directly into the description of where Willow’s body was found.
“Remains were found within a black plastic bag present in a farm pond between Route 37 and I-57 exit, a one-acre size farm pond. There was silver duct tape on the outside of the black plastic bag sealing it.”
Details that had heretofore not been released were then disclosed.
“A chef knife was found in a suitcase within the residence,” Heidingfelder wrote.
And then, inexplicably, was the next entry:
“An oscillating saw was found in a garden shed with blood present on the handle.”
Heidingsfelder didn’t elaborate on the possible meaning of blood on the handle of the saw; where the garden shed was located; nor whose blood was on the handle.
It was an odd entry in an otherwise dry autopsy report, and one that will require further examination in upcoming issues of Disclosure.
Heidingsfelder wrote:
“Upon opening the bag it revealed a second plastic bag with tape surrounding the head and upper chest. The remains were in a fetal position turned to the right on initial examination. A portion of the plastic bag has been previously disrupted over the abdominal region. The bag was removed by incision from the back of the head over the back region down to the lower leg region. Leaves, grass and debris were present with the body in the bag.”
Heidingsfelder noted that Willow was wearing a black short-sleeved shirt and pink and white female type underpants, as well as a beaded plastic necklace around her neck, with plastic shell decorations.
Wounds examined; sex assault exam done
As to the wounds found on the body, Heidingsfelder noted that there was a “sharp, incised cutting wound of the neck from the left side to the right.”
He also noted a “cutting wound down to skeletal muscle tissue over the right anterior shoulder, which extends down to the right shoulder toward the arm, 8 cm long and 3 cm wide.
“A separate wound appears to be tangential stab wound over the anterior aspect of the left shoulder, 3 cm by 2.5 cm,” Heidingsfelder noted.
Oddly, his next entry was brief and, like the entry about the oscillating saw, completely unexplained:
“Bluish discoloration is noted over nose and eye region,” Heidingsfelder noted, which was followed by “Sexual assault examination kit was done.”
There were no notations after this about the sexual assault examination kit (commonly called a “rape kit,” although the word “rape” isn’t in Illinois’ legal lexicon); but other references to Willow’s genitalia would be made within a couple of paragraphs.
Upon examination of her back, Heidingsfelder noted there were “four diagonal-oriented linear scratches and abrasions with underlying contusions over the midline and left back region. These are 3-4 inches long, 1-1.5 cm wide with a fine line superficial scratch present along linear pattern. A surrounding area of bluish skin discoloration is also present.”
Inspection of Willow’s hands revealed “glove formation,” which may or may not be a reference to autopsy terminology about the condition of the skin that makes it easy to pull away due to decomposition; Heidingsfelder didn’t explain it in the notes. He did point out a “linear tear of glove formation at volar base of left thumb,” which he said “reveals underlying superficial cutting wound of underlying superficial dermal tissues.”
There were other tears and a cutting wound on the other hand, on the right pinky, ring, middle and index fingers.
No apparent sexual assault inferred, but not directly noted
Further examination of the body was made at the genitalia, which may or may not have revealed any kind of past sexual assault, but did not necessarily indicate a recent assault.
Heidingsfelder noted “a hair in the region of the clitoris; labia majora intact, hymen has a central 1 cm diameter fenestration,” or, opening.
“Surrounding membrane appears intact without recent laceration,” he noted. “Anus intact. Hair recovered also from the anterior right thigh” was the last notation on the genitalia segment of the examination, and no further indication of what this meant was submitted.
Other wounds were then noted:
“Underlying subcutaneous interstitial (between cells) hemorrhage consistent with a contusion on the anterior right calf near the ankle; similar discoloration on the dorsum of left foot but no underlying interstitial hemorrhage. Similar discoloration on the left ground region, no underlying interstitial hemorrhage. Back injuries do reveal moderate interstitial hemorrhage present.”
The very serious wounds were mentioned only briefly next: Focal disruption of left subclavial vein—all else (veins/arteries) intact, but complete transection (cutting) of the trachea inferior to the larynx.
Willow’s lungs were noted as “pink, smooth and glistening, well-aerated,” meaning she was not breathing when she was placed in the pond and no water entered the lungs by seeping in.
Other organs were similarly described as “intact, normal, not diseased, not disrupted by wounds.”
Final diagnoses
Heidingsfelder then gave his final anatomic diagnoses:
“Clinically found in plastic bag, floating in a pond, 7:30 p.m. Sept. 9—reported missing at 10:40 a.m. Sept. 8, last known alive Sept. 7.
“Moderate decomposition changes and water exposure.
“Stab wound to left shoulder, directed medially into the mediastinum, with cutting wound of left subclavial vein.
“Transverse deep cutting wound of the neck with transection of the upper trachea and disruption of superficial veins.
“Deep cutting wound to the skeletal muscle, superior right shoulder.
“Superficial cutting wounds of left thumb and pinky, superficial cutting wounds of the right index, middle, ring and little finger.
“Multiple linear contusions—abrasions of left back.
“Contusion of right lower leg, anterior near the knee.
“Absent—internal hemorrhage, disease process.”
Heidingsfelder wrapped the autopsy reports with this statement:
“This is the case of the death of a 7-year-old female reported missing on Sunday, Sept. 8. Her body was subsequently found at 7:30 p.m. Monday Sept. 9. The remains were present within a black plastic bag found in a pond about 2.5 miles from her residence. The bag was wrapped with silver-colored duct tape around the head and neck regions. The deceased shows moderate post-mortem decomposition changes. There is evidence of a cutting wound to the neck with associated disruption of superficial veins and transection of the trachea. There is a stab wound to the superior left shoulder, which stab wound is proved to extend into the mediastinal chest regions. The stab wound is associated with disruption of the left subclavian vein. A third cutting wound to the right shoulder appears to represent a deep flesh wound. Also present are multiple transvers superficial cutting wounds of the fingers which are interpreted to represent defense-type wounds.
“Cause of death: blood loss due to stab and cutting wounds of the shoulder and neck.
“Manner of death: homicide.”
How the viewing went down
The autopsy report was requested for viewing via a Freedom of Information Act request (FOIA) submitted by Disclosure staff on the day Justin DeRyke entered a plea to the murder of Willow Long, March 18, 2014.
An autopsy report can be viewed free; a copy of an autopsy costs anyone requesting it $50; toxicology an additional $25.
Disclosure requested viewing within five days of the initial FOIA submission, but there was a concern of a possible appeal at that time, as DeRyke had 30 days. The initial viewing was put off until April 25. At that time, Disclosure learned from Effingham County State’s Attorney Bryan Kibler that an appeal had indeed been filed on the 17th…a fact which was not disclosed to Disclosure staff while the office was under an active FOIA.
Upon completion of the resentencing (which was a minor technicality that many suspected was pulled up in order for the autopsy report viewing to be delayed), another 30-day delay on any other kind of appeal set the viewing back to July 8, which was when Disclosure conducted the viewing in the state’s attorney’s office.
Further inquiries are being made into the details of the case; be watching upcoming issues for information.