1.2.2 Time Of Death
Question: Physiological Time of Death
Answer: The point at which the deceased’s body - including vital organs - ceased to function.
Question: Estimated Time of Death
Answer: The time the medical examiner estimates that the death occurred.
Question: Legal Time of Death
Answer: The time of death recorded on the death certificate; based on when the body was found or physically pronounced dead.
Question: Algor Mortis
Answer: The change in body temperature
following death. The body temperature
will steadily decline until it matches
the temperature of the surrounding
environment; external factors can
affect the rate of cooling.
Question: Rigor Mortis
Answer: Stiffness of joints and muscles that sets in several hours after death.
Question: Livor Mortis
Answer: The pooling of the blood in tissues after death resulting in a purplish red discoloration of the skin; also referred to as lividity.
Question: Cornea
Answer: The clear tissue that covers the front of the eye.
Question: Dr. William Bass
Answer: Professional that founded the first “body farm” at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville.
Question: Body Farm
Answer: A research facility where human decomposition can be studied in a variety of settings.
Question: Scene Markers
Answer: Clues left at a scene that establish a timeline. These may include dated texts, emails, or mail, a broken clock, or even dishes in the sink.