Mortis

Pallor Mortis

(Latin for paleness of death) is a postmortem paleness which happens in thoes with white skin almost instantly because of a lack of capillary circulation throughout the body. Also heart failure  (insufficientia cordis) can make the face look gray; the corpse then also has blue lips. The body sinks down into the lower parts of the body creating the Livor Mortis.

Livor Mortis

Called the pulling of the blood because the heart stops pumping and the blood begins to settle in the parts of the body closest to the ground. The skin will become dark blue or purple in these areas. The onset is immediate, visible 1/2-4 hours after death, well developed 3-4 hours after death, maximum 8-12 hours after death, and it never disappears. A number of things can also affect Livor Mortis including; acute blood loss or anemia prior to death makes this less visible and Carbon Monoxide or Syanide poisoning turn the skin this color any way. This is a bad technique for determining time of death.

Rigor Mortis

The first rate method is Rigor Mortis. This is called the stiffening of death because immediately after death the muscles relax and then become rigid without the shortening of the muscle. It's Onset is Immediate. Detected 2-4 hours after death. Complete 6-12 hours after death. Remains 12-18 hours after death. Leaves in 24-36 hours after death. Completely gone in 40-60 hours after death. There are a number of things that can affect rigor mortis such as; strenuous muscular activity, enviornmental temperatures (hotter faster it sets) (colder slower it sets), and body temperature at the time of death. This is an unreliable technique for determining time of death.

Algor Mortis

This is the cooling after death. Your body temperature continually cools 1.5 degrees each hour until it reaches room temperature. The body temperature will not get any cooler than room temperature. This is influenced by size of the victim, clothing, weather conditions, and location of the body.

Decomposition (here comes the fun)

Stage where the body begins to rot through seven different methods.

1.) Blue-Green Discoloration: the skin, beginning in the abdomen, goes from left to right quadrant of the abdomen and then to the whole stomach region. 24 hours after death left and right quadrant are blue-green, 36 hours after death the whole stomach is blue-green, 36-48 bloating sets in.

2.) Bloating: the loose skin areas on the body start to swell. 

3.) Marbling: starts 2-3 days after bloating. There is a chemical reaction in the blood that causes a green black discoloration of the veins.

4.) Skin Slippage: Occurs 7 to 4 days after death. The skin literaly slides off the body.

5.) Adipocere: This takes months, and only occurs when the body is continually in the presence of moisture. It forms a waxy residue onto the skin.

6.) Mummification: Takes months, sometimes years. Happens when body moisture is less than 50%. 

7.) Skelitanization: When the flesh is no longer a part of the body. Takes weeks or years. Enviornmental factors affect decomposition such as; temperature, insects, cause of death.

Tache Noire

The drying of the sclera left exposed by partially opened eyes after death resulting in a zone of discolouration

Fauna

This is insects, which are best for determining minimal post mortem intervals. Insects that can usually be found on the body after death. Body Lice, Blow Flies, and Beetles. Body Lice will remain on the host anywhere from 3 to 6 hours after death. Blow Flies will find the body with in ten minutes after death. They will immediately lay eggs, then hatch in 18 to 24 hours after death. Beetles feed off the dry skin and other insects that come.

A flower, a skull and an hourglass stand for Life, Death and Time in this 17th-century painting by Philippe de Champaigne.