Petition to reopen the case

[GlennM]

I think we all know there is a movement afoot to open the case once again. Ostensibly this is to address missing tissue sample results as well as tamping down the sensationalism surrounding the incident. I can surely understand the heartburn over the various conspiracy explanations. At an extreme, I can imagine the conspiracy theorists insisting the relatives of the dead protecting some secret in the case. Think, Tatiana was given a State secret to hide. The widening of conspiracy ideas are like medieval witch hunting.

The forensic tissue examination was likely discontinued in the interest of practical economy. When it was decided that the tent was cut from within and the autopsies did not reveal definitive homicidal injuries, then no need to test for poison.

The petition to reopen the case is a plea to restore honor to the memory of the lost. Is this an indictment of those who didn't do their jobs in 1959 or is it a way of stopping profiteering?  Will any of it address the fundamental question of why they left the tent?

[Senior Maldonado]

The forensic tissue examination was likely discontinued in the interest of practical economy. When it was decided that the tent was cut from within and the autopsies did not reveal definitive homicidal injuries, then no need to test for poison.

I have completely different view on the subject.

The examination of tissue fragments of the first 5 bodies had been performed in full. The results were not as they were expected to be. The results of the examination triggered fast dispatch of Mr.Kikoin to the Pass with his advanced redioactivity detector. Combined results of bodies' fragments and terrain examinations made Ivanov's bosses to call him back from the Pass and get him to Sverdlovsk to receive instructions how to proceed. At this point, the theory of Mansi involvement was dropped forever. Very soon, the investigators team sent a letter to Moscow -- what are we investigationg actually and what does radiation have to do with the case? They received no answer either from Moscow or from Urakov, who came urgently to arrange finishing of the investigation. Ivanov made an attempt to find out more about radiation, asking Mr.Levashov to perform radioactivity test of the last 4 hikers. And he has found something, despite the bodies had spent quite a lot of time in running water.

[GlennM]

All that remains is to confirm the suppositions with the tissue report and the directives. My guess is that these are conveniently unobtainable. The needle does not move towards truth, unfortunately. I also find it curious that with such elevated interest in the presence of radioactive materials on the deceased, those who actually spent far, far longer at the location, ate the food, drank the water and burned the wood, were not checked, and decontaminated. I agree that the record shows a Geiger Counter was used and mentioned in case files. Does not suggest cover up nor conspiracy to me. Does suggest that working in a facility which has radioactive material might leave a trace.  I would believe the Geiger Counter was used to see if anyone pocketed pitchblende and if so would their diary tell where the deposit was found.