02-05-2011, 04:32 PM
Approximate times for algor and rigor mortis
Body temperature Body stiffness Time since death
warm not stiff dead not more than three hours
warm stiff dead 3 to 8 hours
cold stiff dead 8 to 36 hours
cold not stiff dead more than 36 hours
SOURCE: Stærkeby, M. "What Happens after Death?" In the University of Oslo Forensic Entomology [web site]. Available from http://folk.uio.no/mostarke/forens_ent/afterdeath.shtml.
If Johnny's dad says he went to give him CPR and he was cold to the touch it may seem that he may have been dead before 11:00 if they found them at 4.
John Clarke broke into the Straubs' home and tore the bags off the victims' heads so he could give them CPR. As he did, he discovered that their faces were already cold.
Dr. Patrick said his office could not pinpoint a time of death.
Body temperature Body stiffness Time since death
warm not stiff dead not more than three hours
warm stiff dead 3 to 8 hours
cold stiff dead 8 to 36 hours
cold not stiff dead more than 36 hours
SOURCE: Stærkeby, M. "What Happens after Death?" In the University of Oslo Forensic Entomology [web site]. Available from http://folk.uio.no/mostarke/forens_ent/afterdeath.shtml.
If Johnny's dad says he went to give him CPR and he was cold to the touch it may seem that he may have been dead before 11:00 if they found them at 4.
John Clarke broke into the Straubs' home and tore the bags off the victims' heads so he could give them CPR. As he did, he discovered that their faces were already cold.
Dr. Patrick said his office could not pinpoint a time of death.