Establishing a PMI
the time between death and body discovery, has great forensic importance
manner of death
one of 5 ways in which a person's death is classified
terms for the manner of death include:
natural death, accidental death, suicidal death, homicidal death, undetermined
cause of death
the reason someone dies
proximate cause of death
refers to an underlying cause of death as opposed to the final cause
mechanism of death
the specific change in the body that brought about the cessation of life
massive trauma (cause)
to the body leads to respiratory arrest (mechanism)
stoppage
heart and brain
autolysis
or cell self-destruction
algor mortis
cooling of the body following death
the body cools at the rate of ______
.78C (1.4F) per hour
livor mortis
the pooling of the blood in tissues after that results in a red skin color
lividity
the reddish-purple color, it is the effect of gravity on blood
between __ to ___ hours, present but color disappears when skin is pressesd
2-8
dual lividity
found on 2 different areas-indicates body was moved
rigor mortis
means death stifness
2-6 hours
rigor begins
36-48
rigor absent
factors affecting rigor mortis
temp, activity before death, body mass
autopsy
a medical examination to determine the cause and manner of death
clinical autopsies
done for medical research study purposes and foul play isnt considered
hands are examined for _______ residue and fingernails for ______ samples
gunshot, tissue
internal examination
y-shaped incision
typical autopsy takes __ hours
6
within __to__ hours, the stomach empties its content into the small intestine
2,6
withing ___ more hours, the food leaves the small intestine
12
putrefaction (stages of decomposition)
identification of soft tissues
adipocere
greasy wax for fat breakdown
PMI estimate
...
body feels warm and is flaccid
3 hours
body feels warm and is stiff
3-8 hours
body feels cold and is stiff
8-36 hours
body feels cold and is flaccid
36 hours