Postmortem Changes and Time of Death

[gatagato]

Fig. 1
Lividity, or livor mortis, represents the postmortem settling of blood within the dependent skin, due to gravitational forces. Note that
areas of skin exposed to pressure do not develop lividity estimate the postmortem interval, but such estimates are typically
not very helpful.
One of the most scientifically reproducible methods for estimating the postmortem interval in cases of badly decomposed bodies that have been infested with insects involves forensic entomology. The most common insect types examined are the numerous species of blowflies that lay their eggs on corpses. Each species of blowfly has a specific and known life cycle involving eggs, maggots, pupae, and adult flies. By determining the species and the age of the largest maggots on a body, forensic entomologists are able to identify where the body has been lying and determine an estimated postmortem interval.


Fig. 2
Most bodies that have been stored for some
time in a morgue show posterior lividity.
Impressions from clothing and other objects
may be seen


Fig. 3
Impressions from a tied bow can be seen causing patterned blanching on the abdomen


Fig. 4
Impressions from a brassiere can be clearly seen causing patterned blanching of the chest. Although it had been removed by police at the scene blanching from a cigarette lighter can be seen on the left breast (arrowhead)


Fig. 5
Blanching had occurred under the elastic band of underpants with lividity marking the elevated writing of the manufacturer’s name


Fig. 6
Initially lividity blanches when pressure is applied. Here pressure is being applied with a fingertip



Fig. 7
Blanching of lividity which corresponds to >Fig. 6 indicates that the lividity has not yet become ‘‘fixed’’


Fig. 8
An unusual pattern of lividity developed in a decedent who died while lying on an egg-crate mattress pad


Fig. 9
This man died facedown, lying atop his hand. Note in the next image (Fig. 10) how the blanched area
corresponds to his hand


Fig. 10
An area of blanching underneath the decedent’s hand (see Fig. 9)


Fig. 11
Most epileptics who die unexpectedly are found facedown, raising the possibility of asphyxiation being involved in the mechanism of
death. In the case shown there is intense anterior lividity with blanching of the face and abdomen, as well as the skin under the hand.
This can be better seen in the next figure (Fig. 12)


Fig. 12
Movement of the hand in a young male who died facedown, demonstrating blanching of the skin under the hand due to compression of
small vessels that prevented the accumulation of blood


Fig. 13
After several hours, lividity becomes ‘‘fixed,’’ such that movement of a body from one position to another may become evident because
the lividity pattern is inappropriate for the current body position. This man has blanching of the abdomen indicating that he had been
facedown for some time after death


Fig. 14
Lividity occurs in dependent portions of the skin, where dark, pinpoint Tardieu spots may form reflecting intense congestion


Fig. 15
An area of more intense lividity with numerous Tardieu spots


Fig. 16
A variety of factors may result in different appearances of the color of lividity . In this case, note the different colors of the lividity on the upper back. These differences are likely the
result of subtle environmental changes after death, such as lying on an EMS backboard in the emergency department for several hours,
and then being transferred to the morgue cooler


Fig. 17
Occasionally skin that is being compressed will blanch and then dry out. This is called parchmenting and can be seen under a sweater in the figure. It is a typical finding under ligature marks in hanging deaths


Fig. 18
Rigor mortis affects even the muscles that attach tosmall skin hairs, giving the appearance of
‘‘goosebumps’’ or ‘‘flesh’’ (cutis anserinus)


Fig. 19
If a body is in full rigor mortis, the presence of
‘‘inappropriate’’ rigor mortis may indicate that the
body has been moved. The woman obviously did
not die in this body position


Fig. 20
The original body position of the woman depicted
in Fig. 19 is shown. The death investigator
rolled her body onto her back in order to illustrate
the fact that she was in full rigor mortis


Fig. 21
On occasion rigor mortis may occur very rapidly, as in this drowning victim who is still clutching vegetation, so-called cadaveric spasm


Fig. 22
Slight corneal clouding noted in a decomposing body


Fig. 23
The dark discoloration of the sclera (the white part of the eye) is a common early postmortem change,
known as tache noire


Fig. 24
Dark discoloration and drying of the lips is common following death


Fig. 25
Sun exposure following death can actually lead to dark discoloration of the exposed skin surface, a so-called ‘‘postmortem suntan’’ or
‘‘sunburn’’


Fig. 26
One of the earliest signs of decomposition is green discoloration of the lower right abdominal quadrant (arrow)


Fig. 27
Changes of early decomposition can be seen on the forearm with red lines from blood breakdown in superficial veins. Such venous marbling can become quite extensive


Fig. 28
Faint early marbling of the chest wall above an area of lividity


Fig. 29
As decomposition proceeds, marbling of the skin may become more apparent


Fig. 30
More advanced marbling can be seen on the right shoulder and chest


Fig. 31
Skin blistering is another common change early in the decomposition process


Fig. 32
Extensive skin blistering with fluid accumulation on the side of a markedly putrefied corpse


Fig. 33
Skin slippage can also occur relatively early in decomposition


Fig. 34
Purge fluid is frequently expelled from the mouth and nose


Fig. 35
As decomposition continues, the body begins to bloat, and the skin becomes darkened. Note the dark discoloration of the lips


Fig. 36
Swelling of the scrotum and abdomen occurs
with putrefaction as gases accumulate from
bacterial action. Numerous maggots can also
be seen on the surface of the body


Fig. 37
Putrefaction with skin slippage is also
associated with loss of hair


Fig. 38
Advanced decomposition is characterized by an
extremely bloated, greasy, and darkened body.
This is the decomposed body of a Caucasian
individual who was not very obese during life


Fig. 39
An example of a body demonstrating relatively
advanced decomposition, with bloating, skin
discoloration, and abundant purge fluid


Fig. 40
Another example of fairly advanced decomposition. In this case, marbling, skin discoloration, bloating, and skin slippage are prominent on the trunk region
Postmortem Changes and Time of Death 8 167


Fig. 41
Bulging of the eyes, lips and face, with protrusion of the tongue, all related to decomposition


Fig. 42
Eventually, after the initial ravages of
bloating decomposition have passed, the
body continues to lose more soft tissue, and
the process of skeletonization begins


Fig. 43
An example of how tight clothing (a sock)
has retarded the decomposition of skin


Fig. 44
Another example of how clothing can retard the decomposition process. Note that the skin of the torso, which was covered with
clothing, is reasonably intact compared to the advanced decompositional changes noted on the face and neck


Fig. 45
Postmortem cockroach bite marks.
Note the absence of a ‘‘vital tissue reaction’’ (i.e., there is no bleeding)


Fig. 46
Ants may begin feeding off corpses very soon after death. Here groups of ants can be seen stripping skin from around an ankle. This may result in
postmortem seepage of blood in dependent areas that may be confused with antemortem trauma


Fig. 47
Ants may also target body orifices such as the mouth and nose


Fig. 48
Lesions left by ants may resemble abrasions, accept that they are of uniform depth and have a characteristic winding ‘‘serpiginous’’ pattern, as can be seen on the chest and flank of this body


Fig. 49
Postmortem fire ant bite marks, with no evidence of a vital tissue reaction


Fig. 50
Multiple areas of superficial skin loss on the flank of a drowning victim due to postmortem sea lice activity. It is important not to mistake
these lesions for antemortem injuries such as abrasions


Fig. 51
Rodents such as rats and mice tend to concentrate on the soft tissues of the fingers, toes, and the tip of the nose. Bites can be recognized
by the paired grooves from the upper and lower incisors and can be seen here on the side of a finger. Postmortem injuries are usually
characterized by a lack of blood, although dependent body parts may passively exude blood from postmortem wounds. Occasionally
such injuries may occur before death in an unconscious individual. This has been termed the Popiel phenomenon, after a mythical Polish
king who was devoured by rats. In these cases a vital reaction may be seen microscopically. This consists of an infiltrate of inflammatory
cells in the tissues


Fig. 52
Relatively extensive skin damage produced by postmortem rat activity. Note the dry, yellow appearance of the defects, indicating that
they are postmortem in nature


Fig. 53
Bite marks on the fingers produced by the feeding activity of mice


Fig. 54
Toes nibbled by rats after death showing the typical paired gnaw marks with trimming of the toenails


Fig. 55
Domestic pets, such as dogs, will sometimes feed on a dead body, with large portions of soft tissue being removed


Fig. 56
Early postmortem predation by a dog with bite marks evident at the edge of the soft tissue defect


Fig. 57
Postmortem predation by domestic dogs often
involves an elderly recluse who has not been seen
for some time. Dogs tend to target the face and
neck, stripping the skin and subcutaneous tissues


Fig. 58
Loss of facial features after dog predation may
make visual identification impossible
Postmortem Changes and Time of Death 8 179


Fig. 59
Cats may also devour the soft tissues of the face, neck, and hands after death


Fig. 60
If the genitalia have been targeted by dogs, as in the case of this young adult male, the possibility of a sadistic sexual murder may be
considered on initial examination of the scene


Fig. 61
Removal of a head by a dog has occurred with gnawing through the frontal bone to gain access to the brain


Fig. 62
A dog has eaten the face, cranial contents, and chest cavity organs. Determining whether organic illness played a role in the deathmay not
be possible given the loss of the heart, lungs and brain


Fig. 63
In this case, a dog has devoured most of the chest and has started on the upper abdomen exposing the liver and spleen


Fig. 64
A body found at a beach with the left cheek removed by seabird activity


Fig. 65
If flies are present in the local environment, they will lay eggs on the body, often in or near body orifices such as the nostrils. Multiple
brown spots on the skin surface have been produced by flies and are not blood spatter


Fig. 66
An adult fly on a decomposing body. Flies are known to lay eggs on dead bodies within minutes following death
Postmortem Changes and Time of Death 8 183


Fig. 67
An adult fly, a pupa case, and a maggot


Fig. 68
A fly with maggots. The brown pupal cases indicate that maggot infestation has been present for some time


Fig. 69
Although there is no appreciable decomposition, the decedent was the victim of multiple gunshot wounds and had blood on his face
and embedded in his mustache. This was found to be a suitable place for flies to lay eggs
Postmortem Changes and Time of Death 8 185


Fig. 70
Enormous numbers of maggots may be found on
corpses completely obscuring underlying features


Fig. 71
Extensive maggot activity on the face of
a decomposing man


Fig. 72
The typical appearance of a decomposing body
after extensive blowfly activity with marked
loss of soft tissues


Fig. 73
Autolysis, putrefaction, and animal (including
insect) activity all contribute to the ultimate
loss of soft tissues
Postmortem Changes and Time of Death 8 187


Fig. 74
Skeletonized remains may be found with clothing and other materials that may provide clues as to possible identity


Fig. 75
Decomposition may be greatly accelerated by high environmental temperatures. An example of this is a case with partial skeletonization
that occurred outdoors in the summertime after only 10 days


Fig. 76
In dry conditions bodies will dry out and mummify, with the skin becoming leatherlike. Here, drying of the fingers and hand can be seen
Postmortem Changes and Time of Death 8 189


Fig. 77
Mummification of the toes and feet


Fig. 78
Another example of ‘‘mummification’’


Fig. 79
Mummification of the internal organs with dehydration. Drying of blood vessels and body cavities may make toxicological analysis
difficult


Fig. 80
Mummification can result in very hard, leathery skin


Fig. 81
Finger mummification, wherein the soft, fleshy part of the finger has shrunken away from the overlying fingernail


Fig. 82
In damp and cool conditions adipocere may develop.
This is a malodorous greasy breakdown product of fat that is also known as grave wax. The thigh of this drowning victim has been converted to adipocere


Fig. 83
Adipocere can also occur in warm, wet environments


Fig. 84
In addition to other organisms mold will also grow on corpses given the right conditions. Multiple colonies of fungal organisms can be
seen growing on the surface of this body


Fig. 85
Fungal colonies growing on the face of a decomposing corpse


Fig. 86
A lacelike configuration of precipitated minerals, referred to as ‘‘miliaria,’’ is sometimes seen covering various decomposing internal
organs, most commonly the liver


Fig. 87
Postmortem erosion of the stomach wall may occur with rupture, so-called gastromalacia


Fig. 88
A classic postmortem injury, such as this abrasion, lacks a vital tissue reaction and appears yellow


Fig. 89
Postmortem mutilation of a corpse with minimal bleeding (Photo courtesy of Dallas County Medical Examiners Office and Dr. J McClain)


Source:
The Atlas of Forensic Pathology for Police, Forensic Scientists, Attorneys and Death Investigators (2012)


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[narco]

very nice post i wanna these book

[Cumulonimbus]

Excellent information.

[spresley616]

Pic 5: This corpse is sponsored by Calvin Klein.

[Brainplague]

Originally Posted by spresley616

Pic 5: This corpse is sponsored by Calvin Klein.

Calvin would be proud.

This is an awesome post. Thanks.

[The Driver]

cool post

[Angelahh]

good post! great book :o)

[Faline]

Love that hand imprint

[Rasputin007]

Brilliant post, thanks!

[Pyramid_Head]

One of the coolest posts, thanks!