Kent uses a melon to reproduce the crime, which he then calls: fruiticide. Maura's former assistant Susie once performed a so called fruitopsy on a melon in episode Knockout (2014)
This case bears a striking similarity to the real life case of Michael Peterson. In the Peterson case, his wife also fell down a flight of stairs and died. There was another woman in Peterson's life, although not a known girlfriend, who fell down a flight of stairs and died as well. In Peterson's case, he ended up adopting the woman's two daughters.