Body as a Crime Scene Flashcards
As a scene, the_____is approached in a similar fashion as any crime scene.
- Corpse
The crime scene technician when dealing with the body as a crime scene must:
- Assess, observe, document, search, collect and analyze it.
Movement to a corpse is normally done in a _______approach, using a pathway that is generally clear of evidence.
- Point to point
Presumptive death is determined by two basic observations:
- Evident trauma inconsistent with life
Ex: decapitation,massive blood loss or evident decomposition - The absence of normal life signs
Ex: heartbeat, pulse in major arteries, no reaction to stimuli, respiration,
flushing of nail beds and constriction of pupils
_______involves the settling of blood in the body due to gravity after blood circulation ends. It may present itself as a light red to dark purple discoloration in as little as 30 minutes after death.
- Livor mortis
Livor discoloration will set and become fixed typically within ____of death, but this is highly variable and the medical examiner is always the best source of time in death investigations.
- 8 hours
______found in areas inconsistent with current position of the body at may suggest subsequent manipulation or alteration of the body , which should be noted and documented.
- Livor mortis
_________ is an evident stiffening of the muscles of the body and affects all muscles at the same rate.
- Rigor mortis
Affects smaller muscles first (face and jaw)
Then manifests itself in larger muscle groups such as extremities
Rigor mortis can appear within_____of death and is typically at its greatest ______following death.
- 2 hours; 8-12 hours
Rigor mortis will break down and disappear from the body:
- 24-48 hours after death
As with livor mortis, if the rigor mortis is inconsistent with the final position of the body, this may indicate movement or alteration of the body, which should be _______and_______.
- Noted an documented
________is the loss of body heat from the corpse.
- Algor mortis
The most common approach to determining body temperature is core temperature of the ______.
- Liver
___________, body habitus (skinny or fat), chronic medical conditions and any number of other factors may affect heat loss after death.
- Ambient environmental conditions
______involves the physical putrefaction of the tissue due to bacteria.
- Decomposition
In decomposition of the body, the primary source of bacteria is the ________of the victim, which manifests itself first as a blue green discoloration in the lower right quadrant of the abdomen.
- Gastrointestinal tract
Due to_____as bacteria interacts with the the surrounding tissue, gases build up,resulting in evident swelling of tissue,protrusion of eyes or tongue and ultimately a blackish blue discoloration of tissue.
- Fermentation
In decomposition, the blood vessels of a corpse become significantly discolored resulting in a condition called:
*Marbling
In decomposition, the skin and underlying tissue lose_____, fluids may be purged, slippage of the skin may occur when the body is handled. As with other postmortem factors, many environmental factors have a direct impact on the rate of decomposition.
- Integrity
In decomposition, _______heat and _____speeds the process of decomposition, while cold will delay it.
- High; humidity
Flies will begin laying eggs on the body within 20 minutes of death
In decomposition, _____lay their eggs in warm moist areas of the body such as the nostrils, corners of the eyes, in the mouth or any body opening that is readily available. The eggs develop into _____.
- Flies; larval form (maggots)
In decomposition, maggots form a mass at the point of______such as chest, abdomen and extremities. When this occurs it may indicate an open injury that made the area inviting to flies.
- Infestation
