# Detection of Cyanide in a Decomposed Exhumed Body: A Case Report

## TL;DR

This case report describes the detection of cyanide in a decomposed body three years after burial, which is rare due to cyanide's quick breakdown.

## Contribution

The study presents a rare successful detection of cyanide in a decomposed exhumed body using postmortem fluid analysis.

## Key findings

- Hydrogen cyanide was detected in postmortem fluids three years after burial.
- Cyanide detection in decomposed bodies is uncommon due to rapid disintegration.
- The case suggests the possibility of identifying cyanide poisoning even after long postmortem intervals.

## Abstract

Cyanide is a lethal poison that induces immediate fatality. Infrequently employed as a homicidal poison, it is not an ideal choice for homicide as it causes a ‘dramatic’ death causing suspicion among others. Cyanide is a rapidly metabolized poison that also rapidly disintegrates after death, posing challenges for chemical analysis, particularly when dealing with decomposed bodies. Detection of cyanide from a decomposed body is infrequent. A suspected case of intentional poisoning resulting in death was interred without conducting a postmortem examination. The exhumation process revealed the presence of hydrogen cyanide in the postmortem fluids collected from the body cavities three years after interment.