Thanks. That fits my thoughts...and the evidence.
I’d still like to hear if anyone has any direction on what should have been found on the victim/shootee regarding gunfire residue if it WAS a straight shot.
Absence of such would indicate it is not.
C
Then you'd be looking for the absence of explosive head splatter.
See the image at the link provided by Tijeras_Slim at post #85 above. That's what the victim should look like, roughly. If there's not that level of damage to the head, it wasn't a straight shot.
Also, this is not rocket science - .223 is basically our military rifle caliber. Expert witnesses on wound severity therefore would not be hard to come by.
Maybe I missed it being brought up, but I think it was only mentioned by others as checking the floor for bullet material evidence. Any chance concrete or linoleum fragments/residue was looked for in the deceased under a similar material transport/deposit premise?