I just spent about 20 minutes looking at autopsy/toxicology information and detection of chloroform during autopsy. Some interesting information.
Firstly, chloroform can be detected in blood, urine and bile, however the concentration of chloroform decreases dramatically during the hours between death and the autopsy.
http://www.cctoxconsulting.a.se/33_chloroform.pdf#search=%22%2Bautopsy%20%2Bchloroform%22
Secondly, detection of chloroform is not done in a normal autopsy toxicology screen. In some people, chloroform leaves an obvious odor in the body that, if detected, will clue a coroner into the possible existence of the drug. Unless there is reason to believe it was used, testing for it is not part of normal autopsy procedure.
http://www.springerlink.com/content/m7j8tx7m4h413238/fulltext.html
Chloroform is still used in veterinary medicine and can be had that way. Also, it is still in wide spread use in third-world countries, such as Thailand, were it can easily be bought on the black market.
Chloroform is also used as a sexual took for deviants. During masturbation, prior to ejaculation, some people get autoerotic asphyxiation, they'll either use some strangulation material to choke themselves or some have been known to use chloroform!!!
I'm reading the Ramsey autopsy report, specifically the section on the toxicology screen. I can not find where the coroner tested for the presence of chloroform. Under Toxicological Studies it states only Blood Ethanol - none detected, blood drug screen - none detected.
There is no other mention of any other samples sent to a lab for testing, or in fact, no mention of the drugs looked at in the screening.
I've searched for months and have never been able to find the toxicology report from her autopsy. It's holdback evidence.
From what I'm reading, chloroform, while not a perfect "weapon" to kill someone with could be missed during a routine autopsy especially if enough time had lapsed between death and the autopsy or if the coroner didn't suspect chloroform was used and didn't order tests.
I am seeing that vials of her blood were turned over to the Boulder police as part as evidence. I wonder if chloroform could be detected in a sample all these years later to corroborate this guys story or to show he's just a nutcase looking for 15 minutes of fame.
