Victim Body Positions

Removal of Victims 1-5 by coroner investigators from various agencies commenced at approximately 5:30 p.m. and was completed by 9:06 p.m. on April 21 1999.

Victim [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.], later identified as LAUREN TOWNSEND, was found tying on her left side, bent at the waist, head to the north, feet to the east, under the northwest corner of the table. She was dressed in a blue top, denim pants and dark boots. Multiple bullet holes were noted in the back of the shirt. Bloodstains associated with the upper two holes were consistent with drainage of blood while the body was positioned as found. Minimal drainage was present around the two lower holes. Concentrated drainage of blood was present under the left arm. A linear blood drainage stain was present in the rectal area. Bullet holes were present in the right thigh area with surrounding blood drainage stains consistent with the position of the body as found. Transfer bloodstains were present on the lower legs and on the sides and bottom of the boots. These bloodstains were not associated with injuries to the victim. Bloodstains on the carpet indicated that the legs of the victim were moved to the east through wet bloodstains to their position as found. The position of Table 2 and the surrounding chairs were marked on the carpet and then moved to view the body. Additional bullet holes were noted in the front crotch area when the body was moved. Photographs were taken of the position of the body, the bloodstains present on the body, and the bloodstains on the carpet surrounding the victim. A bloodstained shirt was present under Table 2 to the south of victim [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]. Medical treatment type packages and bandages were present in this area. Bloodstain patterns on the carpet and on the vertical supports of Table 2 along with the shirt and bandages indicated that multiple injured individuals were present at some time under the table and then moved from the scene.

Victim [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.], later identified as KELLY FLEMING, was found lying on the floor in a prone position to the southeast of Table 2. She was dressed in a black shirt, denim pants and black/white tennis shoes. An entry wound consistent with a shotgun discharge was present in the lower left back of the body. The plastic shotgun cup/wad was present in the wound tract. Several associated pellet holes were present adjacent to the main entry wound. Drainage of blood from the wound was minimal and consistent with the position of the body as found. Drainage of blood from the nose/mouth area was consistent with the position of the body as found. No other bloodstains were present on the body. Photographs were taken of the position of the body, the bloodstains present on the body, and the bloodstains on the carpet surrounding the body.

Victim [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.], later identified as JOHN TOMLIN, was found lying on the floor in a prone position to the southeast of Table 6. He was dressed in a dark T-shirt, denim pants, and white/black tennis shoes. Numerous wood fragments and pieces of foam padding were dispersed in the area of the body. Drainage of blood from the right side of the head was consistent with the position of the body as found. A large pool of blood was present on the carpet extending to the west of the victim's head area and under the victim's chest and right arm. The victim's eyeglasses were present under the lower portion of the face. No bloodstains were noted on the pants or shoes of the victim. No impact blood spatter was noted in the area. Photographs were taken of the position of the body, the bloodstains present on the body, and the bloodstains on the carpet surrounding the body.

Victim [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.], later identified as COREY DEPOOTER, was found lying on the floor in a prone position to the west of Table 14. He was dressed in a gray shirt, denim pants, and brown leather boots. A large concentrated bloodstain consistent with drainage from the rear of the neck and the upper chest was found under the body. This pooling of blood continued onto the carpet to the west of the body, A large concentrated transfer bloodstain was present on the lower back area of the clothing and body. No wounds were present in this area of the body. The bloodstain originated on the exterior of the outer shirt, soaked through to the thermal undershirt and onto the skin of the victim. A strap from the victim's backpack was present under the left arm of the victim and the backpack was found to the west of the body. The bottom of the backpack was heavily blood soaked. No corresponding stain was present on the carpet under the position of the backpack as found. A pattern in the pooled blood to the west of the body was consistent with the size and shape of the backpack bottom. The bloodstain patterns were consistent with the backpack initially lying in the pool of blood from the victim; the backpack being moved to the small of the back of the victim; and then moved to the floor to the west of the body. Photographs were taken of the position of the body, the bloodstains present on the body, and the bloodstains on the carpet surrounding the body.

Victim [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.], later identified as DANIEL MAUSER, was found lying on his right side under Table 9 in the middle section. He was dressed in a tan shirt, denim pants, and black/gray tennis shoes. His right arm extended to the south and the wrist area was positioned on top of the right rear stile of Chair 9E. The chair was found lying on its back to the south of the victim. An Injury to the fingers of the right hand was present and a small pool of dripped blood was found under the position of the hand. A concentrated pool of blood was present under the head, neck and shoulder area of the victim. Eyeglasses were found under the head of the victim, partially on the upper face. Chair 9E had a bullet path through the chair, entry in the seat cushion and exit in the front upper wooden rail. Wood fragments were dispersed over the body. A number of wood fragments were embedded into the right forearm of the victim. An injury to the right ear was noted upon repositioning of the body prior to transport.

Victim [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.], MATT KECHTER, a white male, was on his back under Table 16 against the north table leg or support. His right leg was extended to the west and his left leg under his right thigh. Possible burns were seen on his left hand, the center and right side of his gray, long-sleeve shirt, and two dark areas on his blue jeans. He was wearing white athletic shoes, white socks, and a ball cap with the letter "M". His head was towards the east. Blood was on his face and the left shoulder of his shirt. A hole was in the left front shoulder of the shirt. His right hand held some type of writing instrument.

Victim [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.], ISAIAH SHOELS, a black male, was to the south of, and slightly under, KECHTER. He was generally facedown with the left side of his chest slightly above the floor. His legs were extended generally to the west. SHOELS was wearing a black, short sleeve shirt, green slacks, and white socks and white athletic shoes. A pool of blood was under and to the south of his head, SHOELS head was towards the east.

Victim [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.], STEVEN CURNOW, a white male, was seated on the floor in the leg area of computer station number LMC 17. This station was at the west end of the south side of the south row of computer stations. His back was against the west panel with his right leg partially bent and under his left leg, which was also partially bent. His arms were crossed at the wrists and in his lap. He was wearing a short sleeve blue shirt, blue jeans, white socks and brown and black boots. A large wound was on the right side of his neck. His books (Item [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]) and backpack (Item [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]) were found near the center on the south side of the north row of computer stations.

Victim [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.], CASSIE BERNALL, a white female, was found under Table 19. Her shoulders were against the west side of the table, her head tilted to the north, and her legs extended to the east. She was wearing a green, short sleeve shirt over a black shirt, light blue jeans, white socks and black boots. There was blood on the right side of her face, her right hand, and the right and center portions of her clothing. An apparent contact or near-contact wound was visible on the back of the right hand. Another wound was also visible on the right side of her head.

Victim [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.], KYLE VELASQUEZ, a white or Hispanic male, was on the floor in front of the south side of the north bank of computers at station 7. He was on his right side, head facing southwest, with his left leg extended south and bent at the hip, and his right leg bent under the left. His left arm was under him and his right arm partially under his head. He was wearing a blue and green coat over a white shirt, black pants, and black athletic shoes. He had a wound to the top of his head.

Body [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.], DYLAN KLEBOLD, a white male, was on his back with his head pointing east. His legs were bent at the hip with his knees towards the north and his lower legs pointing west. His left arm was across his stomach with a fingerless black glove on his left hand. His right arm was extended by his side and his right hand was around the grip of the TEC-9 pistol. Gray tape, holding two match strikers to the inside of the forearm, was around his right wrist. He was wearing a black T-shirt with the word “wrath" in red on the front, black cargo-type pants, black boots and white socks. A large knife was on the left side of his belt. His face was bloodstained and a pool of blood was on the carpet under his head. Ammunition on his body included 14 rounds of 2 3/4" Federal shotgun shells in an ammunition belt around his waist; [in a bandoleer were 19 rounds of Federal 00 buck shells?]; [numerous live shotgun shells in a pouch in a pants pocket?].

Body [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.], ERIC HARRIS, a white male, was to the north of KLEBOLD. The upper back was leaning against the bottom shelf of the west side of Row 6 with his head pointed south. His skull was open at the top and the shelves behind (to the east) of him and the ceiling above him and the carpet below his head were bloodstained. His arms were by his chest with his forearms and hands angled up towards his face. He had a fingerless black glove on his right hand, which was next to a green pouch with shot shells. His legs were somewhat extended to the west. He was wearing a white t-shirt, black pants with a green ammunition belt, black boots and a knife strapped to his right leg. He had an ammunition pouch in his left cargo pants pocket. That pouch contained 10 rounds of Winchester 12 gauge shotgun shells, each shell labeled as containing 15 pellets of 00 buck. Two single-column magazines with 9mm rounds were in a pants pocket. A black ball cap with the letter "B" was between HARRIS' left leg and KLEBOLD's head.

Representatives from other coroner's offices were working with Dr. Nancy Bodelson, Jefferson County Coroner, and her staff in removal of the bodies. This included Dr. Thomas Henry, Denver County Coroner and staff from his office and staff from the Douglas County Coroner's Office. Bodies were removed beginning with VELASQUEZ and CURNOW and ending with KLEBOLD and HARRIS. Per a previous discussion with Harper (JCSO), Investigator Mike Guerra (JCSO) was present and searched both HARRIS and KLEBOLD for explosive devices in the presence of representatives from one or more coroners' offices, including JCS. Devices were found in KLEBOLD's pockets and Guerra collected these. Photographs were taken in conjunction with the work of the coroners' offices. The Jefferson County Coroner's Office also collected skull pieces ([You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] and [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]) from two areas on the carpet; one to the west of KLEBOLD and the other to the south of HARRIS. When the body of HARRIS was being moved into the body bag, a mass of blood fell out of the open skull and landed on the carpet where KLEBOLD's body had been. That office also collected the student ID card (Item [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]) of VELAZQUEZ which had been on top of computer monitor [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] when his body was removed.

Victim [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.], in the science storage room was the body of a white male, later identified as teacher DAVID SANDERS. The body was on the floor positioned on his back. His head was pointed north towards the hallway door in the room. His feet were pointed south and his arms were down along his sides. Mr. Sanders was bare-chested. His blue and white dress shirt and t-shirt were cut and pulled down to the waist. He had gray slacks and brown shoes. Under the body was a flannel shirt and next to the head was a gray sweatshirt. These items appeared out of place with the clothing Sanders was wearing. It was noted that there was an absence of blood under the body. There did not appear to be any evidence in the room to indicate that this was where this victim had actually been shot. Initially there were two wounds visible: one was in the upper mouth and he appeared to be missing two teeth; the other was an apparent bullet wound on the front of the right shoulder. Once the initial documentation was completed, the Coroner's Office was requested to respond to conduct their examination. Triena Harper of the Jefferson County Coroner's Office and a member of the Denver Coroner's Office responded and conducted an investigation on the victim (see also: Coroner's Report). The examination disclosed two additional bullet wounds in the victim's back, one on the upper right shoulder and one at the base of the lower left side of the neck. The bullet wound on the back of the right shoulder appeared to be related to the bullet wound on the front right shoulder. The bullet wound at the base of the neck appeared related to the wound in the victim's mouth. The victim had a wallet, which tentatively identified him as William David Sanders, dob: 10/22/51, with an address of [redacted], and described him as a white male, 6’ tall, 190 lbs., brown hair, blue eyes and wearing corrective tenses, The driver's license was a Colorado driver's license [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] and showing a social security number of 315-54-0935. The victim was placed in a body bag, which was sealed and earned to the Coroner's vehicle at the front entryway to the school. After the body was removed from the storeroom, additional photographs were taken to document the room without the body present.

Victim [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.], RACHEL SCOTT, white female lying on the grass on her back, head to the east. A Colorado driver’s license in the name of Rachel Scott DOB 8/5/81 was found in her pocket. She still had a backpack attached to her body. Body removed on 4/21/99 @ 12:15 PM.

Victim [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.], DANIEL ROHRBOUGH, white male lying on the sidewalk on his right side with his head facing south. A Columbine High School ID card the name of Daniel Rohrbough, 9th Grade, was found in a pocket. Body removed on 4/21/99 @ 11:50 AM.