Death Investigation

Question 1

Forensic Medicine

Answer 1

application of medical specialities to legal issues

Question 2

forensic pathologists

Answer 2

study injuries and disease to determine cause of death

Question 3

coroner

Answer 3

elected official who oversees a death investigation

Question 4

medical examiner

Answer 4

completes autopsies and determines cause and manner of death, type of forensic pathologist

Question 5

five manners of death

Answer 5

natural, accidental, homicide, suicide, unknown/ undetermined

Question 6

autopsy

Answer 6

often completed for unexplained, suspicious deaths

Question 7

autopsy; external examination

Answer 7

health, heigh, weight, eye color, physical characteristics, injuries, x-ray, fingernails are scraped, fingerprints are collected, trace evidence on body/ collected and preserved

Question 8

autopsy; internal examination

Answer 8

organs examined, weighed and measured, tissue samples examined microscopically, fluid samples sent to toxicologists, all items are preserved and properly stored (chain and custody)

Question 9

1: algor mortis

Answer 9

temp drops at a regular rate

Question 10

2: rigor mortis

Answer 10

body stiffens from lack of oxygen and ATP
four hours after death
starts in face and hands
complete within 12 hours, non rigid after 30-36

Question 11

3: livor mortis

Answer 11

discoloration of skin caused by settling of blood
lowest parts of body
becomes fixed after 6-8 hours

Question 12

stages: 1st; fresh stage

Answer 12

begins four min after death
autopsy occurs
all mortis’ occur
(1-2 days)

Question 13

stages: 2nd; bloated stage

Answer 13

occurs after cells rupture 
putrefaction (decay or rotting) occurs
bacteria produces gases while feeding off body fluids
body swells and may look greenish
body temp will spike

Question 14

stages: 3rd; active decay

Answer 14

skin breaks open
emits very strong odor
body loses most mass as microbes and insects consume soft tissue

Question 15

stages: 4th; advanced decay

Answer 15

remaining tissues are broken down
speed of decomposition slows
plants around corpse die, but fungi flourish

Question 16

stages: 5th; skeletal stage

Answer 16

skeletonization leaves just bones and hair

diagenesis eventually occurs breaking down bone

Question 17

factors that affect decomposition (5)

Answer 17

temperature, moisture, location of body, injuries on body, presence of carnivores and insects

Question 18

the organism that is the first to show up after death

Answer 18

insects

Question 19

odontologist

Answer 19

forensic specialist who examines dental x-rays and bite marks

Question 20

entomology (PMI)

Answer 20

forensic specialist who determines the post mortem interval by studying insect activity

Question 21

anthropometric

Answer 21

forensic specialist who examines human skeletal remains

Question 22

European facial traits

Answer 22

straight/ flat prominent profile
narrow, high nasal cavity
large, sharp lower nasal spine
slight overbite and chisel-shaped teeth

Question 23

African facial traits

Answer 23

rounded chin, pragmatic facial profile
rounded, wide nasal cavity
small lower nasal spine
slight overbite and chisel-shaped teeth

Question 24

Asian/ American Indian facial traits

Answer 24

mostly straight/ flat profile
slight chin projection
flared base (heart-shaped) nasal cavity shape
small lower nasal spine
edge to edge bite, shovel shaped teeth

Question 25

who was the founder of anthropometry

Answer 25

A. Bertillion

Question 26

Compression

Answer 26

Fracture lines will often be numerous, wide-reaching, and tend to radiate outward from the point of impact
force pushes down on bone

Question 27

shearing

Answer 27

force is applied by immobilization of one bone segment
a linear shearing type of fracture in the bone occurs
mostly accidents, or dismembering

Question 28

bending

Answer 28

triangular break usually through cross section, causes fracture lines at the point of impact or on the sides opposite from the break
parry fracture; when warding off a blow, show a violent struggle

Question 29

torsion

Answer 29

most often accidents and child abuse

caused by a spiral down the long axis of the bone

Question 30

tension

Answer 30

a force that pulls on the long axis of the bone
portion can break away
few fracture lines
mostly accidents than violent deaths