NCJ Number
226568
Journal
Journal of Forensic Sciences Volume: 54 Issue: 2 Dated: March 2009 Pages: 452-455
Date Published
March 2009
Length
4 pages
Annotation
This case report presents the information used to determine the postmortem interval for partially skeletonized, dry human remains found in an abandoned house in an urban area of subtropical, coastal Galveston County, TX.
Abstract
The predominant factors that allowed for a confident assessment of a postmortem interval of 7-10 months included climate data, insect data related to dead early feeders and living late feeders, anthropological data on the skeletonized remains, and cool-weather clothing. The succession pattern of insects in urban or rural environments of Southeast subtropical, coastal Texas is not found in the literature. This case report addresses the succession pattern of insects in such an environment during the cooler months of the year and discusses some atypical insect findings. There were a number of living and dead forensically significant insects recovered from the death scene. Large quantities of dead insect species and shed puparia were found inside the jacket and in the pants, socks, and boots. Entomological analysis identified insects from the order Diptera, Coleoptera, and Lepidoptera. Several insects collected--primarily beetles and moths, as well as a few other species--were still living. These were killed by freezing and then pinned for identification. Identification of specimens was according to texts and specific keys, as well as through comparison to an available reference collection. A table presented lists the species recovered, life stage, condition of the specimen upon recovery, and percent of total insect diversity. The insect data suggest that the decedent died during the cooler months of the year when fly diversity was low, corroborating anthropological data. The clothing was consistent with death occurring in late fall or winter. 1 table and 18 references