Tomas Sarinana

On September 14, 2019, a 33-year-old female was found decomposed at a remote homeless camp. The woman was identified as Sally Mityas. Tomas Sarinana was later sentenced for the murder of Ms. Mityas, who was also his brother’s girlfriend. Since Ms. Mityas’s body was in the state of advanced decomposition, the cause of death could not be determined. However, there were multiple fractures to the ribs consistent with postmortem compressions. Much of the evidence surrounding the evidence and circumstances of Mityas’ death was based on interpretation and speculation, making a careful examination of the physical evidence particularly important. With limited direct evidence available, the position and condition of Mityas’ body at the time it was discovered became an important component of the investigation. The question was whether the final body position could provide insight into what had occurred at the scene or whether it was consistent with the body having been moved and dumped at the location. Reconstruction provided an opportunity to evaluate the available evidence within the physical context of the scene. Evidence Room was hired to examine the evidence and reconstruct the circumstances surrounding the body’s discovery. Our team analyzed the available scene and forensic evidence with particular attention to the final body position and whether the physical evidence was consistent with the body having been moved or dumped at the location where it was ultimately discovered.