Biomedical Science Letters (대한의생명과학회지)

The Korean Society for Biomedical Laboratory Sciences (대한의생명과학회)
권호 표지
DOI QR코드

DOI QR Code

Feasibility of Total Body Score (TBS) and Accumulated Degree Days (ADD) in the Estimation of Postmortem Interval for Forensic Murder Casework

  • Kim, Young Sam (Forensic Investigation Section, Detective Division, Gyeonggi Bukbu Provincial Police Agency) ;
  • Kim, Jong Hee (Forensic Investigation Section, Detective Division, Gyeonggi Bukbu Provincial Police Agency) ;
  • Yoon, Kwang Sang (Forensic Investigation Section, Detective Division, Gyeonggi Bukbu Provincial Police Agency) ;
  • Kweon, Bong Soo (Forensic Investigation Section, Detective Division, Gyeonggi Bukbu Provincial Police Agency) ;
  • Kim, Young Sik (Forensic Investigation Section, Detective Division, Gyeonggi Bukbu Provincial Police Agency) ;
  • Lee, Gwang Yeon (Forensic Investigation Section, Detective Division, Gyeonggi Bukbu Provincial Police Agency) ;
  • Cho, Hae-Won (Department of Biomedical Laboratory Science, College of Medical Sciences, Soonchunhyang University) ;
  • Kim, Hye-Rim (Department of Biomedical Laboratory Science, College of Medical Sciences, Soonchunhyang University) ;
  • Eom, Yong-Bin (Department of Biomedical Laboratory Science, College of Medical Sciences, Soonchunhyang University)
  • Received : 2017.12.26
  • Accepted : 2018.02.12
  • Published : 2018.03.31
Download PDF
⟨ Previous Next ⟩

Abstract

Postmortem interval (PMI) is very important in the crime scene investigation. However, it is very difficult to estimate of the interval since death after a decomposition. Recently, there have been various studies on the postmortem interval since a decomposition. In particular, the total body score (TBS) and accumulated degree days (ADD) used to estimate the postmortem interval after a decomposition. This study was conducted with the aim of applying the TBS and ADD to estimate the postmortem interval in real forensic caseworks. In first murder case, TBS was 12 and ADD value was 132, respectively. An estimated time of PMI was around 23:00 on June 21, and the suspect's statement was 01:20 on June 22. Our estimated interval since death and the suspect's statement for the PMI differ by only 2 hours and 20 minutes. In second forensic case, TBS was 3 and ADD value was 55, respectively, an estimated time of PMI was around 02:26 on September 23. The suspect's statement was 10:30 on September 23. Our estimated time and the suspect's statement for the PMI differ by 8 hours. In these cases, we were able to have confirmed the feasibility of TBS and ADD on the real forensic cases. Overall, our finding suggested that the quantitative method could be used to produce PMI estimates that are accurate to within days or even hours.

Keywords

References

  1. Adjutantis G, Coutselinis A. Estimation of the time of death by potassium levels in the vitreous humour. Forensic Science. 1972. 1: 55-60. https://doi.org/10.1016/0300-9432(72)90147-1
  2. Amendt J, Campobasso CP, Gaudry E, Reiter C, LeBlanc HN, Hall MJR. Best practice in forensic entomology - standards and guidelines. International Journal of Legal Medicine. 2007. 121: 90-104. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00414-006-0086-x
  3. Ames C, Turner BD. Low temperature episodes in development of blowflies: implications for postmortem interval estimation. Medical and Veterinary Entomology. 2003. 17: 178-186. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2915.2003.00421.x
  4. Anderson GS. Insect succession on carrion and its relationship to determining time of death. Forensic entomology: the utility of arthropods in legal investigations (Byrd JH, Castner JL, Eds). 2001. pp. 143-175. CRC Press. Boca Raton, USA.
  5. Dabbs GR. Caution! All data are not created equal: the hazards of using National Weather Service data for calculating accumulated degree days. Forensic Science International. 2010. 202: e49-52. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.forsciint.2010.02.024
  6. De Saram GS. Estimation of the time of death by medical criteria. Journal of Forensic Medicine. 1957. 4: 47-57.
  7. Easton AM, Smith KG. The entomology of the cadaver. Medicine Science and the Law. 1970. 10: 208-215. https://doi.org/10.1177/002580247001000403
  8. Galloway A, Birkby WH, Jones AM, Henry TE, Parks BO. Decay rates of human remains in an arid environment. Journal of Forensic Sciences. 1989. 34: 607-616.
  9. Goff ML. Early postmortem changes and stages of decomposition. Current concepts in forensic entomology (Amendt J, Campobasso CP, Goff ML, Grassberger M Eds). 2010. pp. 1-24. Springer. Dordrecht, Netherlands.
  10. Gomes L, Godoy WAC, Von Zuben CJ. A review of postfeeding larval dispersal in blowflies: implications for forensic entomology. Die Naturwissenschaften. 2006. 93: 207-215. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00114-006-0082-5
  11. Heaton V, Moffatt C, Simmons T. Quantifying the temperature of maggot masses and its relationship to decomposition. Journal of Forensic Sciences. 2014. 59: 676-682. https://doi.org/10.1111/1556-4029.12396
  12. Ireland S, Turner B. The effects of larval crowding and food type on the size and development of the blowfly, Calliphora omitoria. Forensic Science International. 2005. 159: 175-181.
  13. Marshall TK. The use of body temperature in estimating the time of death and its limitations. Medicine Science and the Law. 1969. 9: 178-182. https://doi.org/10.1177/002580246900900304
  14. Megyesi MS, Nawrocki SP, Haskell NH. Using accumulated degreedays to estimate the postmortem interval from decomposed human remains. Journal of Forensic Sciences. 2005. 50: 618-626.
  15. Moffatt C, Simmons T, Lynch-Aird J. An Improved Equation for TBS and ADD: Establishing a Reliable Postmortem Interval Framework for Casework and Experimental Studies. Journal of Forensic Sciences. 2016. 61: S201-S207. https://doi.org/10.1111/1556-4029.12931
  16. Moore JG, Christian PE, Brown JA, Brophy C, Datz F, Taylor A, Alazraki N. Influence of meal weight and caloric content on gastric emptying of meals in man. Digestive Diseases and Sciences. 1984. 29: 513-519. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01296271
  17. Motter MG. A Contribution to the Study of the Fauna of the Grave. A Study of on Hundred and Fifty Disinterments, with Some Additional Experimental Observations. Journal of the New York Entomology Society. 1898. 6: 201-231.
  18. Rodriguez WC, Bass WM. Insect Activity and its Relationship to Decay Rates of Human Cadavers in East Tennessee. Journal of Forensic Sciences. 1983. 28: 423-432.
  19. Sabucedo AJ, Furton KG. Estimation of postmortem interval using the protein marker cardiac Troponin I. Forensic Science International. 2003. 134: 11-16. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0379-0738(03)00080-X
  20. Vass AA, Bass WM, Wolt JD, Foss JE, Ammons JT. Time since death determinations of human cadavers using soil solution. Journal of Forensic Sciences. 1992. 37: 1236-1253.
  21. Villet MH, Richards CS, Midgley JM. Contemporary Precision, Bias and Accuracy of Minimum Post-Mortem Intervals Estimated Using Development of Carrion-Feeding Insects. Current concepts in forensic entomology (Amendt J, Campobasso CP, Goff ML, Grassberger M, Eds). 2010. pp. 109-137. Springer. Dordrecht, Netherlands.
  22. Willey P, Heilman A. Estimating time since death using plant roots and stems. Journal of Forensic Sciences. 1987. 32: 1264-1270.