I honestly don't know which one to go with, so here are both versions, with slight changes in the language.
Version One:
“He was horribly mutilated,” the coroner said to Inspector Davies, a thoughtful expression on his face as he recalled the body in the dumpster, but then I wondered what the differences were between “horribly mutilated,” and “mutilated.”
Version Two:
“He was horribly mutilated,” Gregson said to Inspector Davies, a thoughtful expression on his face, but then I wondered what the differences were between “horribly mutilated,” and “mutilated,” until I recalled the recent photos of Michael Jackson.
Don