The environmental variables that impact human decomposition in terrestrially exposed contexts within Canada

This study involved the examination of 96 retrospective police death investigation cases selected using the Canadian ViCLAS (Violent Crime Linkage Analysis System) and sudden death police databases. A classification system was designed and applied based on the latest visible stages of autolysis (stages 1 –2), putrefaction (3–5) and skeletonisation (6–8) observed. The analysis of the progression of decomposition using time (Post Mortem Interval (PMI) in days) and temperature accumulated-degree-days (ADD) score found considerable variability during the putrefaction and skeletonisation phases, wi th poor predictability noted after stage 5 (post bloat).
Source: Science and Justice - Category: Forensic Medicine Authors: Source Type: research