Death investigations

Question 1

key to success

Answer 1

cases being reviewed by all in the first 24 hours

Question 2

3 critical questions with analyzing the 911 phone call

Answer 2

• what was the call about
• who was the call about
• how was the call made

Question 3

2 categories of homicide

Answer 3

murder - purposeful, premeditated and unlawful

manslaughter- deliberate killing of another’s

Question 4

Voluntarily manslaughter

Answer 4

killing of another person out of an act of passion, not premeditated

Question 5

Involuntary manslaughter

Answer 5

killing another, accidentally out of severe negligence

Question 6

human decomposition 5 stages:

Answer 6

• fresh stage:
  destruction of cells and organs, flies lay eggs on the body, algor mortis ( cooling of the body temp)
• putrefaction stage:
  odor, color stages, bloating of body, lower abdomen turns green ( bacteria), skin slippage occurs. soil insect if body is on the ground
• black putrefaction:
  body cavity repurures, abdominal gases escape, body darkens, bones become apparent 10-20 days
• butyric fermentation:
  mummification begins, grave wax, loss of body oder with a “ cheesy” appearance on the cadaver
• dry decay:
  skeletonization occurs; skeletal remains “ bone digenesis” dependent on pH levels, soil type and groundwater

Question 7

Identification of insects in death

Answer 7

• time span for the hatching of maggot is 24 hours

- procedure is to place insects collected into alcohol for preservation

Question 8

Forensic pathology

Answer 8

cause of death

Question 9

forensic entomology

Answer 9

study of insects and vermin

Question 10

Forensic anthropology

Answer 10

study of skeletal human remains to determine gender, race and sex

Question 11

Most sensitive part of the body

Answer 11

eyes: typically become milky and cloudy in color within 8-10 hours of death

Question 12

Cooling of both

Answer 12

body will become cool to the touch about 8-12 hours after the death and remain the temp of its surrounding for about 24 hours

cooling biggest factors are water and air

Question 13

Most reliable method of determining body temp

Answer 13

rectal thermometer, ME will place the thermometer into the liver

Question 14

Rigor Mortis

Answer 14

stiffening of the body- usually a POOR indicator of death, as it usually sets 2-4 hours after the death. First observed in jaw and neck and the body will stay STIFF for about 8-12 hours

Question 15

lividity

Answer 15

purplish stain caused by gravity pulling blood to the closest surface which the body rest on.

Question 16

gunshot entrance wound

Answer 16

generally smaller than the exit wound and has minimal bleeding

Question 17

Smudging

Answer 17

ring resulting from gunpowder being deposited around the wound. Indicates the victim was close to the suspect at the time