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Pathologist weighs in during Legebokoff's trial

Detail of the injuries two of Cody Alan Legebokoff's alleged victims suffered were presented Wednesday when a forensic pathologist who conducted the autopsies testified. Dr.
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Detail of the injuries two of Cody Alan Legebokoff's alleged victims suffered were presented Wednesday when a forensic pathologist who conducted the autopsies testified.

Dr. James Stephen said he found the back of Jill Stuchenko's skull had been fractured.

Stephen also found a laceration to the back of her head that lined up with the fracture and concluded it was caused by a blow of significant force. Whereas a cut is caused by something sharp, Stephen said a laceration is a break to the skin caused by a blow from something blunt.

Stephen said a laceration was also found to the right side of Stuchenko's head at her ear, along with two bruises to her forehead and three areas of contusion to her brain that would likely had knocked her unconscious if not killed her.

Stuchenko also suffered extensive blood loss, which Stephen attributed to "animal activity" to her upper body and neck area. That Stuchenko died from blood loss after she was knocked out was possible, Stephen said.

Stephen conducted the autopsy on Stuchenko at Royal Inland Hospital in Kamloops on Oct. 29, 2009. Nearly a year later, on Oct. 13, 2010, Stephen conducted an autopsy on Cynthia Frances Maas, another of Legebokoff's alleged victims.