Vocab
Rigor Mortis
Death stiffness
Time of death
When the person died
Another name for the larval (maggot) stage of an insect
Instar
What causes rigor mortis at the cellular level
By lack of oxygen of cells and calcium
1st stage
Fresh
-Blisters
Livor Mortis
Death Color
Cause of death
The immediate reason a person died ex: Natural would be cancer
What stage forms a protective capsule while changing into an adult
Pupa
About how many hours after death does rigor mortis peak
12 hours
2nd stage
Bloat
-Gasses
Algor Mortis
What is death heat?
Manner of death
How the death occurred
-Natural (old age)
-Accidental (car cash)
-Suicidal
-Homicidal (murder)
-Undetermined (cannot be determined)
What is the first insect to usually arrive at a corpse
Blowflies
If a body shows now visible rigor, how long has the person probably been dead
48 hours
3rd factor
Active decay
-Maggots
Autolysis
When the heart stops beating and oxygen is deprived from body cells
Mechanism of death
The specific change in the body that brought about the cessation of life ex: blood loss
Within minutes of death, insects arrive and do what to the body
Lay their eggs
What 3 factors affect the development of rigor mortis
Temperature, Clothing, and Overweight
4th stage
Advanced decay
-Wax layer
Putrefaction
Bloating
Proximate cause of death
The underlying event or injury that started the chain of events leading to death ex: Blunt force trauma
How are flies helpful in determining the time of death
They can help estimate the PMI (Post mortem Interval)
Occurs because the body can no longer regulate temperature
Algor Mortis
5th stage
Dry Remains
-Dried up bones