Court TV Host: Discuss the autopsy in the Laci Peterston case with Dr. Vincent DiMaio, medical examiner for Bexar County, Texas, who reviewed the medical evidence for Catherine Crier Live. Our guest, Dr. Vincent DiMaio, is here! Welcome, Dr. DiMaio.

Vincent DiMaio: Hello.

Question from UbuPearl: Dr. DiMaio - very interesting report on Crier you gave. What autopsy findings were you privy to? Pictures or pictures and reports? Did CTV contract you to review these reports or was it an independent study?

Vincent DiMaio: I examined the autopsy reports, topology reports, and the photos. All Court TV asked me to do was look at the materials and give my unbiased opinion.

Question from jemi: Doctor, were you able to determine a cause of death?

Vincent DiMaio: The exact cause of death cannot be determined because of decomposition. There was evidence that she was beaten. Usually in this case, it's beating and strangulation.

Question from the_asp: Could the tape around Conner be some of the tape, among other items, that were used to hold Laci to anchors, and as Conner floated by her, it got wrapped around him?

Vincent DiMaio: Probably not, because where he had emerged there would have been extensive decomposition, and any tape would have been lost.

Question from michelle: Did they every find Laci's head or limbs?

Vincent DiMaio: No. They probably sank to the bed of the bay and are covered in mud by now.

Question from ladymgr: Dr. DiMaio do you feel that Laci could have been murdered on the eve of 23rd and dumped at night?

Vincent DiMaio: I really have no opinion as to that one.

Question from niklin: Welcome Dr DiMaio--you were great on Crier today. How do you think Laci got the two broken ribs again?

Vincent DiMaio: One or more blows to the left side of her chest. It could be due to fists. It's more commonly seen in kicks.

Question from Terry: Hi, Vincent DiMaio, very interesting program today. I respect your opinion a lot. How is it, though, we can be sure that your findings will be the same as what will be testified to in the trial for the jury to consider?

Vincent DiMaio: I have no idea what's going to be testified to. I just give my opinions.

Question from jemi: How did she lose her head and limbs?

Vincent DiMaio: The fish eat all the soft tissue holding the limbs together, and it just kind of falls off.

Question from massviewer: I thought you were fantastic on Crier. Were you approached by either side in this case?

Vincent DiMaio: No, I was not.

Question from Beauford: Was there any remnants of an umbilical cord left on Conner?

Vincent DiMaio: No, there were not.

Question from olivia: What evidence did you find that she was beaten?

Court TV Host: Aside from the rib evidence

Vincent DiMaio: That is the only evidence. But it's very hard to break the ribs of a woman in her twenties. They're very elastic, so that signifies...a lot of force.

Question from UbuPearl: Could the rib fractures have been the result of a weight dropping on her chest?

Vincent DiMaio: The fractures were on the side. It's possible but unlikely. It would have to be very, very heavy.

Question from massviewer: Do you think it was co-incidence that they washed up so close in time and proximity?

Vincent DiMaio: No, because I think the child popped out of the uterus a few days before, so they were floating very close together and washed up at about the same time, about a day apart.

Question from Harriet: To put it simply -- what you said on Crier Live, the baby was NOT born alive?

Vincent DiMaio: That is correct.

Question from karel: Would the fish have been able eat through the neck bones, though?

Vincent DiMaio: They eat the soft tissue and tendons that connect the neck bones.

Question from WiLd_AnNiE: How long would Conner been alive inside the womb after Laci's death?

Vincent DiMaio: A few minutes.

Question from me: Can you tell whether she was beaten before or after death?

Question from mahmoo: Dr. DiMaio, how are you able to determine the ribs were broken pre mortem versus post mortem?

Vincent DiMaio: All you can tell is that the ribs were broken about the time of her death. It could have been prior to her death, during a fight that killed her, or immediately after her death.

Question from ally_oops: Dr. Diamio who did the autopsy?

Vincent DiMaio: A local forensic pathologist, whose name escapes me. I believe a Dr. Peterson.

Question from whatisjustice: Is it true, Dr DiMaio, that lots of case are solved by medical examiners looking at photos and lab reports?

Vincent DiMaio: Some are. I wouldn't say lots because most times medical examiners who do the autopsies are the ones who solve the cases.

Question from Shannon: Doctor, was the only sign of trauma the rib fractures?

Vincent DiMaio: Yes.

Question from naz: What of the evidence you reviewed, if any , could convict Peterson?

Vincent DiMaio: That's really outside my area. I really can't comment on that.

Question from massviewer: Were you surprised by the lack of blood in the house or the boat?

Vincent DiMaio: Not if it's a strangulation case, which many domestic killings are.

Question from ally_oops: Dr.DiMaio if you had the head, would you be able to form a opinion of how the death occurred more accurately?

Vincent DiMaio: If you had the head you could rule out head trauma, or rule it in. It just depends.

Question from abby_norm: Dr. DiMaio, as I understood your report, the meconium would have been expelled from the baby, within 24 hours of birth?

Vincent DiMaio: Meconium is expelled from the baby in a day in 95% of the cases. It would definitely be gone by two days or so.

Question from karynthana: How many minutes does strangulation require?

Vincent DiMaio: About two or more minutes.

Question from sunburst: Dr. DiMaio, does Connor appear to be a full-term fetus to you? Thank you.

Vincent DiMaio: No.

Question from jake: Could you tell Conner's age?

Vincent DiMaio: The anthropologist could tell that he was not full term.

Question from karynthana: Would weighting the extremities had any effect on the separation of the extremities?

Vincent DiMaio: It predisposed the separation by putting more tension on the soft tissue that's being eaten by the fish.

Question from Mandi: There was no way to determine the cause of death for Laci and Conner?

Vincent DiMaio: There is no way to absolutely determine the cause of death for Laci. But Conner died because she died.

Question from Maria: What "facts" could the defense have to show that Conner was 38 weeks?

Vincent DiMaio: In my opinion, none.

Question from shelly: Could the ribs have been broken by putting the body into a trunk or other vehicle?

Vincent DiMaio: In my opinion, no.

Question from mo: Dr. D. - what could've happened to the umbilical cord

Vincent DiMaio: It would be eaten by the fish.

Question from ally_oops: Were you able to find any previous breaks in any of Laci's bones that were not documented by family members but which had healed.

Vincent DiMaio: I didn't examine the body. I would have had to examine the body myself to do that.

Question from D: Is it possible to determine whether or not Conner's lungs have ever breathed air?

Vincent DiMaio: It was not possible, because of the decomposition, but due to the condition of his body, he had to have been in the uterus for a couple months after his mother's death.

Question from truthbtold: Wouldn't the force of the current /waves expel the baby from Laci's body?

Vincent DiMaio: No, the uterus ruptured in the end, due to progressive decomposition.

Question from karynthana: Sounds like you think the condition of Laci's body was not unusual for the length of time she was in the bay?

Vincent DiMaio: It was not.

Question from Cara: Have you ever dealt with a body with similar circumstances as these two?

Vincent DiMaio: I've dealt with bodies that have been in the water for a few months. Never a pregnant woman and baby like this.

Question from shelly: Were her legs tied with duct tape?

Vincent DiMaio: There was a piece of duct tape running from one thigh to the other thigh?

Vincent DiMaio: That was the only duct tape.

Question from schmoo: How much more information will the expert who will testify at trial have as compared to what you had, if any?

Vincent DiMaio: I have absolutely no idea.

Question from ladymgr: Doctor, could the bones be retrieved maybe by dredging?

Vincent DiMaio: You know, there's probably lots of material on the bottom today, and I don't know if that would work.

Question from snoozee: Had Laci been beaten would any trauma show on Conner?

Vincent DiMaio: No.

Question from Lin: I wonder if the contents of Laci's stomach might determine the time of death....evening meal versus breakfast type of food...

Vincent DiMaio: All the internal organs except the uterus were gone.

Question from me: Was the condition of the baby's lungs or other organs telling in any way?

Vincent DiMaio: No, the organs were really decomposed.

Question from karynthana: Wouldn't Scott's DNA also be required (in addition to Laci's Mom's DNA) to identify Conner?

Vincent DiMaio: No, because it was identified by mitochondrial DNA, which is passed on through the female.

Court TV Host: Any closing thoughts?

Vincent DiMaio: In my opinion there's no doubt Connor was in his mother's uterus up until just a few days before his body was found.

Court TV Host: Thank you very much for being our guest.

Vincent DiMaio: Thank you. Bye.