“Simply put, cause of death is the reason the individual died, as would be the case with a heart attack or a gunshot wound. The mechanism of death would be the actual changes that affect the victim’s physiology, resulting in death. Death from a fatal stabbing, for instance, might be extreme blood loss.
“The manner of death is how the death came about. Five of the six possibilities there are natural, accidental, suicide, homicide, and undetermined. The sixth classification would be ‘pending’ if the matter’s still under investigation, which is obviously not the case here. There was no question about her ingestion of Valium and alcohol. The generic, diazepam, is a central nervous system depressant, the effects of which can be intensified by alcohol. The problem arose because when the toxicology report came in, it appeared there wasn’t a sufficient quantity of either to say with any certainty death resulted from the combination of the two.
“What seemed questionable, at least in my mind, was the presence of petechiae, which are tiny broken blood vessels, like pinpricks visible in the area of her eyes. Hard coughing or crying are common causes; sometimes even the strain of childbirth or lifting weights. Petechiae can also be a sign of a death by asphyxiation.”
“You mean she might have been suffocated?”
“Smothered, yes. There were no fractures of the larynx, hyoid bone, thyroid or cricoid cartilages, and no areas of bruising, which ruled out manual strangulation. Mrs. Lowe had been under doctor’s care. With her history of mental problems, absent any other compelling evidence, Dr. Wilkinson felt a finding of suicide was appropriate. I put up what objections I could, but I have no formal medical training, and his experience and expertise prevailed. For my part, I was never fully persuaded.”
“So there was never an investigation into the circumstances of her death?”
“A cursory assessment, I’d say. Dr. Wilkinson was of the old school: high-handed and a bit of an autocrat. He was in charge, he made the judgment call, and he brooked no argument. I was putting my job at risk even to raise the few questions I did.”
“It sounds like your options were limited.”
“One could say that.” After a moment’s hesitation, he went on. “Are you familiar with the term ‘burking’?”
“Burking? I don’t think so.”
“Nor was I until I ran across a series of murders that occurred in Edinburgh, Scotland, back in the 1800s. I’m a history buff, especially where medical matters are concerned. I was in the midst of combing through old newspapers when I chanced on the case of William Burke and William Hare, who killed some sixteen unlucky souls in order to supply cadavers to an anatomist named Dr. Robert Knox. Burke’s method was what caught my attention. He and Hare would focus on intoxicated individuals and then suffocate them by covering their mouths and pinching their noses closed. The technique left little to no evidence of foul play.”
“Mr. Munce, I can’t believe you’re telling me this. I just had a phone conversation with Ned Lowe’s second wife, and she talked about a choking maneuver he used during sex.”
“Ah. That would be known as ‘asphyxiophilia’ when it’s incorporated into sex with a partner. He must have been proficient at it.”
I could feel myself blink as I struggled to assimilate the information. “Why haven’t I ever heard of burking?”
“You’ll find references once you start looking for them. I didn’t become aware of the case until many years after Lenore’s death or I’d have raised the issue myself.”
“What happened to the pair?”
“Hare was granted immunity from prosecution and testified against Burke, who was convicted and hanged on January 28, 1829. A short time later, Hare disappeared. To my knowledge he was never heard of again. There were the usual rumors, of course, but no sign of the man himself.”
“Unbelievable,” I said.
“But true nonetheless. I wish I could offer you more. It’s bothered me for years, but yours is the first question ever raised about that girl.”
Which was not quite the case. There had been another question raised in the matter, and that was Pete’s.
I thanked him for the information, and he graciously suggested that if I had additional questions, I should feel free to call. He gave me his number in Burning Oaks.
35
After I hung up, I sat for a moment, trying to understand what effect his considered opinion might have. Munce’s views reinforced my suspicion that Ned Lowe hastened Lenore’s death without providing tangible support. I believed I was on the right track, but what good is belief without corroborating evidence?
I still hadn’t met Ned’s current wife, so maybe it was time I talked to Celeste. I couldn’t understand how any woman would be attracted to him, but people tell me I’m way too picky, so perhaps I’m the wrong one to ask. Not that anyone had asked me.
I sorted through my notes until I found April’s home number and put in a call. When she picked up the line on her end, I said, “This is Kinsey Millhone. I was wondering if you could give me a phone number for Celeste?”