Handling+Bodies+WG

Qualifications for DI: 5 yr residency, atleast a yr in a medical examiners office, have to know difference between murder and natural causes of death

Death investigations- how it occurred, when it happened, and what caused it.

5 categories of death: Natural, Accidental, Suicide, Homicide, and undetermined

Not all Homicides are criminal- Manslaughter, Murder, Non criminal homicide( self defense)

How the bodies are categorized if outside- buried, exposed, or submerged in water

Body Removal- lifting and wrapping in a clean white sheet to reserve all evidence but taking care to avoid contact with any body fluids

Time of death is really hard to determine Factors: Body Temp- 98.6 normal- drops one to 1.5 degrees per hr		Discoloration- aka known as postmortem lividity- dark-purple color body Rigor Mortis- immediately after death, the body goes limp, but with in about 2-3 hrs the muscles stiffen Ocular indicators- If eyes remain open after death, thin film forms on surface Food Digestion Personal Factors Decay/decomposition rates- outside decomposes faster, dirt,water,sun all effect decay. Stages of Decomposition- Heart Rates stops- skin pales and starts t0 look waxy Part of the body where blood settles discolors to purple red Desiccation- drying mucous membranes The body then purtrefies- greenish skin 2-3 days Rot spreads foul odor develops Soon skin blisters from these gases detach and skin starts to feel off, teeth, hair and nail loosen Underwater body is preserved by adipocere

Autopsy-provides most crucial pieces of evidence sometimes 25% of death get Autopsies 3 types- Partial, Selective, or complete- majority partial Injuries- Blunt-Force injury Gunshot wounds Knife or knife like