Time Since Death

Question 1

Corporeal evidence

Answer 1

Stage of decomposition

Question 2

Environmental evidence

Answer 2

Insect/plant growth

Question 3

Anamnestic evidence

Answer 3

Peron’s recall on daily tasks

Question 4

Eyewitness

Answer 4

Eyewitness evidence to estimate time of death

Question 5

Postmortem interval

Answer 5

Length of time that has elapsed since a person has died

Question 6

Algor mortis

Answer 6

Cooling of body after death

Question 7

Rigor mortis

Answer 7

Stiffening of the body after death

Question 8

Livor mortis

Answer 8

Setting and pooling of blood after death

Question 9

Changes to the eye

Answer 9

Tache noir, cloudiness, and potassium levels

Question 10

Rate of digestion

Answer 10

Last meal is known

Question 11

Autocatalysis

Answer 11

Natural enzymes breaking down the body after death

Question 12

Putrefaction

Answer 12

Chemical breakdown of the body by it’s naturally occurring bacteria excreting gases

Question 13

Bloating

Answer 13

Bacteria involved in decomposition releasing gases

Question 14

Marbling

Answer 14

Degrading blood begins to seep out of the blood vessels in a radiating pattern

Question 15

Saponification

Answer 15

When the body is in a moist, anaerobic environment and the body’s fatty adipose tissue turns to Adipocere tissue, becoming whitish and clay-like, turning to soap

Question 16

Mummification

Answer 16

Natural drying of the body occurring in hot or cold dry climates. Body becomes dry and shrunken but quite well preserved

Question 17

Forensic Entomoly

Answer 17

Study of insect matter at the crime scene to estimate time of death. Maggot age and develop can be used up to 30 days after death; successional waves of insects can be used up to a year or more after death

Question 18

Forensic Anthropology

Answer 18

Use of anthropological knowledge of humans and skeletal structure to examine and identify human skeletal remains