Comments for Time of Death

Average Rating starstarstarstar

Click here to add your own comments

May 06, 2009
Rating
starstarstar 		carbon dating
by: Anonymous

they can also tell by Carbon dating.in body tissue, they decrease in so many hours or days till the tissue is gone. they you will have to do tests on the bones.
Jan 15, 2009
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Time of Death
by: Glenn Wilcher Forensic Technician

This is a very large topic. Just brief note.

Forensic Entomology plays a role in assisting determining time of death. A good show about it and other estimations for determining approximate time of death was a show made in Britain called Animal Detectives.

The life cycle of maggots assists with their various sequential stages of development into flies depending on species and ambient factors such as temperature, location etc etc. post mortem changes such lividity and rigor mortis are inexact methods. Stomach contents and presence of undigested food partially digested food.

Other areas published include use of biochemical test, deterioration in eye post mortem. Most accurate is combining all the evidence including trace evidence.

Something simple such as information on dockets, last collected mail and newspapers, the deceased usual behaviours specific to movement can be more accurate than an autopsy.

Skeletal remains in bush with plants growing or shrubs the growth rings of plants can assist how long person been there...Forensic Botany. Body temperature cooling - environmental factors and average loss in degrees per hour, temperature being taken rectally or core via liver temperature.

Just a couple of things for you to follow up on researching the topic.

Glenn Wilcher

Click here to add your own comments

Return to Time of Death.

Return to Forensic Q & A.
Enjoy this page? Please pay it forward. Here's how...

Would you prefer to share this page with others by linking to it?

  1. Click on the HTML link code below.
  2. Copy and paste it, adding a note of your own, into your blog, a Web page, forums, a blog comment, your Facebook account, or anywhere that someone would find this page valuable.