Time of Death

There are few studies on the decomposition rate of the human body [1-4]. 3,4 However, nonhuman studies have been conducted on such varied topics as the decay and putrefaction rates of frozen, thawed, and mechanically injured rats [5]; carrion insect activity of pigs [6--8]; and scattering and destruction of mammalian and human remains by carnivores [9-I3]. Difficulty in obtaining bodies, lack of suitable areas for placement and study of the bodies, and negative public opinion all contribute to deter most human decay studies. However, it is crucial that forensic scientists have adequate knowledge to estimate accurately how long a person has been dead if they are to contribute to the resolution of the legal issues involved when a human body is recovered. The most common way to obtain such information is to conduct controlled studies on deceased individuals of known age, race, sex, weight, and cause/manner of death in natural, rather than laboratory, settings. In the natural setting,