Deformutilation: Luc Sante

While doing research for his highly acclaimed first book, Low Life, Luc Sante was given access to the New York City Police Department Archives. There he discovered some 1400 photos and glass plate negatives dating from 1914 to 1918. This was all that remained of the department's once-vast evidence photo files; the rest had been trashed. Taken from the files, these 55 raw, stark photos of the dead--victims of murder or suicides--are both fascinating and horrifying, showing the bodies as they were found by the police in tenement rooms or in vacant lots. The images are accompanied by the author's comments and some excerpts from original newspaper reports of the events.

Homicide, body in barrel in field (1918?)

Homicide victim "Owen Owen 2nd mate steamship North Carolina found lying on barge at foot of 35 Street Bklyn. May 2, 1917 #1626

Photo Charles Murray murdered in hallway #270 1st Ave 5/3/15 Christensen

Homicide file #946 12/19/15 "Body of Antonio Pemear (?) Hudson Ave. Bklyn murdered in his residence. Christensen #529 12/19/15

Homicide "294 Elizabeth Street Domenico Mastropaolos stabbed and slashed to death in wine cellar"

Body Bessie Weils alias Dumont found in kitchen #5 Monroe Street 4-2-17" "File #159? Charles E. Carsbrer

Double homicide …th Street where Michael Santarto & Joseph Mazzarella were shot and killed. Santarto was just married & was called from his wedding feast out into the hallway & killed. Det. Kenney 2nd br on case 4/30/16 #1176

Photo taken in rear yard of #317 East 61st Street (scene 0f homicide) showing dead body of Josephine Batta (…) who was stabbed. (Capt. Jones 3rd br on case) 5/6/16 #1177

Photographs (of) scene of homicide and dead body of Mrs. Joseph Russo, who was shot and killed by her husband at #248 President Street Brooklyn (Capt Coughlin & Sergt. Murry on case 6th br) 5/8/16 #1178 victim