A stab to the aorta, the main artery that carries blood from the heart, killed 72-year-old Anakpawis chair Randall “Randy” Echanis on August 10, autopsy results showed.

This was revealed by forensic pathologist Raquel Fortun, who headed the examination of Echanis’ body, on Friday, August 21.

“The one that hit the aorta definitively killed him at once,” Fortun said in a videoconference briefing.

The stab came from the back, Fortun said. (READ: Randy Echanis laid to rest as tension escalates in probe)

This is contrary to earlier reports that said Echanis died of a gunshot wound to the head. He was stabbed and possibly hit in the head repeatedly, Fortun said.

A stab among many others

The aorta stab is among many other punctures, Fortun said. Most of the stab wounds were inflicted from the back, she said, flashing a diagram.

“The front was practically spared,” Fortun said.

A diagram of Echanis’ head also showed that he suffered multiple contusions and lacerations, both at the front and back. – Rappler.com