The case of Nancy Godoy, a 52-year-old rural teacher whose body was found in Corrientes after more than two weeks of searching, generated deep shock. While the judicial investigation progresses and five people are in custody, one of the central questions was what the autopsy could reveal about the circumstances of her death.
In that context, Dr. Guillermo Capuya explained on La mañana con Moria, the program hosted by Moria Casán on El Trece, the scope of forensic medicine in a situation like this and what difficulties can arise when so many days have passed since the death.
The explanation came on Thursday morning, when the exam result was still awaited. Journalist Pampa Mónaco introduced the topic by noting that specialists should try to determine the cause of death and establish whether a sharp weapon, a firearms, or mechanical asphyxia had been involved.
What can an autopsy determine after so many days
Capuya highlighted the importance of the involvement of forensic physicians and explained that, although it is not always possible to establish an exact date of death, estimates can be made from different indicators.
“The intervention of forensic medicine is extremely important here; it will not determine the exact day it happened, but it will be estimative,” the doctor explained.
One of the aspects that can be analyzed, according to him, is whether the injuries present on the body were produced while the person was still alive or if they were inflicted after death.
“It can be determined whether the injuries were vital, when the person was alive, or if the injuries were inflicted after death,” he stated.
The specialist also explained that, after so many days, some routine indicators used to estimate the time of death cease to be useful. Among them he mentioned rigor mortis and body temperature.
In those cases, other elements can provide information. “One can estimate the date of death by the fauna and the number of insects,” Capuya explained, referring to studies that allow analyzing the presence and development of insects on the body.
The doctor also emphasized that environmental conditions influence the decomposition process and can complicate the conclusions of the specialists.
“There are things that can be seen, but what matters is the temperature, and the putrefaction is different depending on whether the person is submerged or partially submerged, and sometimes it is difficult to determine these kinds of things,” he concluded.
What the Nancy Godoy autopsy revealed
During Thursday afternoon, the first results of the autopsy performed at the Corrientes Forensic Medical Institute were released. The preliminary report determined that Nancy Godoy suffered an extremely violent death, with multiple puncture and incised injuries across various parts of the body.
According to information disseminated by case sources, some of the wounds showed signs of having occurred when the teacher was still alive. The injuries were located on the face, the neck, the abdomen, and the upper and lower limbs.
Experts also detected wounds on the forearms compatible with fighting or defensive maneuvers. In addition, the multiplicity and morphology of the injuries suggested that several weapons could have been used.
The report also noted incisions in different parts of the body and the amputation of the left hand, whose condition was subsequently worsened by the action of animals in the area.
One of the points that still could not be established is whether the teacher suffered a sexual assault. Because of the state in which the remains were found, the studies conducted so far could not determine it. Therefore, investigators continue with complementary analyses to search for biological markers and genetic material that could provide information.
Entomological studies were also requested, with the collaboration of specialists from Córdoba, to try to determine the moment of death. In parallel, the Genomic Medicine Laboratory of the Faculty of Medicine at the National University of the Northeast (UNNE) participates in the genetic analyses.
The preliminary results were communicated to Nancy Godoy’s family by the dean of the Forensic Medical Institute, José Luis Gálvez, and the prosecutor María Andrea González, during a videoconference.
