The F8 "Mystery" Autopsy Photo
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Orientation
Dr. David Mantik and Dr. Michael Chesser both orient this image as being of the back of the head, based on a "nipple" and "fat patches" that are in the NARA version, but cropped out of the publicly available version, as shown below. They disagree slightly on where the mid-line of the head is, but I accept their "back of the head" orientation:
Dr. David Mantik and Dr. Michael Chesser both orient this image as being of the back of the head, based on a "nipple" and "fat patches" that are in the NARA version, but cropped out of the publicly available version, as shown below. They disagree slightly on where the mid-line of the head is, but I accept their "back of the head" orientation:
The F8 "Mystery" autopsy photo. "Mystery" because of the argument of which part of the skull it shows.
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The Outline "Highly Suggestive of the Harper Fragment
When neurologist Dr. Michael Chesser describes this F8 photograph as containing an outline "highly suggestive of the Harper Fragment," I believe he's talking about this area:
When neurologist Dr. Michael Chesser describes this F8 photograph as containing an outline "highly suggestive of the Harper Fragment," I believe he's talking about this area:
Here's the exterior surface of the Harper Fragment:
It's not necessarily an exact match, but these photographs are 2D representations of 3D objects. The angle of view for the F8 image showing the suggestive outline is not the same angle as the straight-on view of the Harper Fragment itself. And unfortunately we don't have a photograph of the pathologists holding the Harper Fragment up to the hole at the place of the outline, since the fragment was found the day after the assassination, and reportedly did not arrive in Washington, D.C. until after the autopsy was done.
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The Beveled Semi-Circular Notch
Note the beveled semi=circular notch:
Note the beveled semi=circular notch:
The beveled semi-circular notch with exterior beveling
The beveling on this semi-circular notch is clearly on the outside of the skull, which indicates a missile exiting from the inside of the head to the outside, as this HSCA diagram illustrates:
The fragmentation/beveling principle applies to glass as well as bone, which is how Ford motor plant employee George Whitaker was able to determine the direction of the missile that caused the windshield hole--i.e., that it had a front-to-back trajectory. Note also that the tiny fragments of bone/glass/whatever are called "spall," and each piece of spall then becomes a missile that can create its own set of problems, as doctoral professor Dr. Harry Nimon of the National American University's Henley-Putnam School of Strategic Studies told me when I shared my draft documentary episodes with him. (Dr. Nimon told me he had once studied the effects of spall from armor coating.) (Many thanks to his doctoral student Tim Cochran for the opportunity to share my draft documentary with the two of them.)
At any rate, notice that this beveled notch shows beveling on the outside of the bone, which indicates the whatever missile that caused it exited from inside the skull. Notice, too that there is no corresponding hole in the scalp, which is peeled away from the skull and folded away from the skull in this image. Since witnesses described "hair flying up" with the first shot (as well as the later AR-15 shot), and since at least one Parkland doctor described "lacerations" (tears) extending towards the front of the head, it seems likely that the adjacent piece of missing skull caused the scalp to rip or tear when it was ejected, rather than exiting through the scalp.
At any rate, notice that this beveled notch shows beveling on the outside of the bone, which indicates the whatever missile that caused it exited from inside the skull. Notice, too that there is no corresponding hole in the scalp, which is peeled away from the skull and folded away from the skull in this image. Since witnesses described "hair flying up" with the first shot (as well as the later AR-15 shot), and since at least one Parkland doctor described "lacerations" (tears) extending towards the front of the head, it seems likely that the adjacent piece of missing skull caused the scalp to rip or tear when it was ejected, rather than exiting through the scalp.
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The Small Hole
I emailed Dr. David Mantik with an annotated F8 image:
I emailed Dr. David Mantik with an annotated F8 image:
and I asked Dr. Mantik this question:
Given your orientation of the F8 autopsy photo as showing the big hole at the back of the head, can you orient the apparent smaller hole for me? Could this be above the right ear? Or the forehead/temple above the outer edge of the right eye? Or would you place it someplace else? Or impossible to tell?
His reply was:
Impossible to be sure, but it might represent the entry hole in the right temple. (e-mail exchange 1/9/2026)
So unfortunately no definitive location for the small hole. Nevertheless it remains a tantalizing bit of evidence.
Given your orientation of the F8 autopsy photo as showing the big hole at the back of the head, can you orient the apparent smaller hole for me? Could this be above the right ear? Or the forehead/temple above the outer edge of the right eye? Or would you place it someplace else? Or impossible to tell?
His reply was:
Impossible to be sure, but it might represent the entry hole in the right temple. (e-mail exchange 1/9/2026)
So unfortunately no definitive location for the small hole. Nevertheless it remains a tantalizing bit of evidence.
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The Black Hole
Another area of interest, aside from the large area of missing skull, is the "black hole" near the bottom of the image:
Another area of interest, aside from the large area of missing skull, is the "black hole" near the bottom of the image:
Again, beveling appears to be on the outside surface of the bone, suggesting a missile exiting rather than entering. I contend that the first shot fractured on impact, and that Custer's "king-size" fragment as well as the nose and tail fragments found in the limousine all came from the same bullet, but it's impossible for me to say which bullet fragment, or perhaps piece of spall, caused this particular area of interest.
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The Reflected Scalp
Finally, we need to take note of the scalp that is "reflected" or pulled away from the skull and folded back on itself:
Finally, we need to take note of the scalp that is "reflected" or pulled away from the skull and folded back on itself:
This "reflected scalp" does not appear to have a hole corresponding with the beveled semi-circular notch. Since witnesses to the first hot described Kennedy's "hair fly up" from the shot, and since at least one Parkland doctor described a "laceration" (tear) in the scalp (albeit on the left side), it makes sense that the skull bone fragment that landed on the pavement near Charles Brehm's feet (after first landing on motorcycle officer Bobby Hargis's right cheek) ejected by ripping the scalp, which then lay back down over the hole, thus hiding the hole.
The scalp likely detached from the skull at that point, as I believe happened, rather than being become separated by the autopsy doctors--although it's clear that it's being held away from the hole for the photograph. The lower hole through the scalp, described by Parkland doctors, was caused by the AR-15 bullet.
The scalp likely detached from the skull at that point, as I believe happened, rather than being become separated by the autopsy doctors--although it's clear that it's being held away from the hole for the photograph. The lower hole through the scalp, described by Parkland doctors, was caused by the AR-15 bullet.