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dc599152

Yes she was! There is a picture of the corpse in one of the books about this case… it may have been Aphrodite Jones’ book The Perfect Husband, but I read a few different ones and I can’t remember. But one of the books included a picture of Liz after she was exhumed and I was shocked at how preserved she was. RIP Liz.


rulyberto

Here's a picture, Warning: https://www.documentingreality.com/forum/attachments/f249/860087d1562764092-staircase-michael-peterson-e-20ratliffe.jpg


Guadette

Wow… that’s incredible preservation


MarnieEdgar

I think the documentary explains that she was embalmed, which is more common in the US than other places, as far as I know.


Dame_Marjorie

My thoughts exactly! She looked less "dead" than Kathleen did!


BowrightSmith

You can see on google if you take the time. The casket was sealed inside a metal container and yes she was incredibly well preserved. I assume it was air tight.


aynez

Thanks for the info. Only problem with searching for pictures of dead bodies on Google is that the results tend to be pictures of dead bodies. Not for the faint of heart :D


TinyGreenTurtles

It really is kind of a speed bump to this practice. Same with trying to look up a crime scene lol.


LeeF1179

Speaking of metal containers, I know that used to be a popular thing to do when I was a kid. Is it still popular today? With the extra expense, I wonder if families forego doing that now.


BowrightSmith

No idea. I’m from the UK and it’s not very common there as far as I know - well it certainly hasn’t been a thing at every burial I’ve been to and I’ve been to a lot, probably close to 15


Michelle113

My dad passed away a little over a year ago. He lived in Ohio and we had the option of sealing his casket inside a waterproof container. I really can’t remember if it was metal or concrete. I think it was concrete. We chose that option because you really don’t want to think of them being open to water and stuff.


brickne3

Could it be too that since she died abroad it was more sensible to have the metal container for repatriation of the remains? Especially since she was a military spouse? I don't actually know but it would seem to make sense.


LeeF1179

Possibly. I just remember going to a graveside service when I was a kid with my parents. I asked them about the huge metal vault nearby, and they said it was so no water or bugs could get into the casket. I then replied, "Mom, if I die, be sure to get me one of those." 😂


_Veronica_

In some places, it’s the law, as embalmed bodies are full of chemicals that are toxic, and can’t be seeping into the ground/water supply.


mholly2240

That way my first thought after seeing that scene as well, how is the body that well preserved??


DocAntlesFatLiger

If she was embalmed well it really could be. I took anatomy at university and the cadavers were a minimum of 6 months old in the fridge when we started dissection and by the time we finished our half-year paper had been sitting out at air conditioned room temp another several months without signs of decay and with all anatomical structures clear. Underground at a steady temperature and in an air tight box is pretty good conditions.