The Stone Cold Truth:: The Effect of Concrete Encasement on the Rate and Pattern of Soft Tissue Decomposition

• D.C. Martin ^[1] ; Gretchen R. Dabbs ^[1] ; Lindsey G. Roberts ^[1] ; Megan K. Cleary ^[1]
  1. [1] Southern Illinois University
• Localización: Journal of forensic sciences, ISSN-e 1556-4029, ISSN 0022-1198, Vol. 61, Nº. 2, 2016, págs. 302-308
• Idioma: inglés
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• Resumen

  • This study provides a descriptive analysis of taphonomic changes observed in the soft tissue of ten pigs (Sus scrofa) after being encased in Quickrete concrete and excavated at monthly or bimonthly intervals over the course of 2 years. The best method of subject excavation was investigated. Rate and pattern of decomposition were compared to a nonencased control subject. Results demonstrate subjects interred in concrete decomposed significantly slower than the control subject (p < 0.01), the difference being observable after 1 month. After 1 year, the encased subject was in the early stage of decomposition with purging fluids and intact organs present, versus complete skeletonization of the control subject. Concrete subjects also display a unique decomposition pattern, exhibiting a chemically burned outer layer of skin and a common separation of the dermal and epidermal layers. Results suggest using traditional methods to estimate postmortem interval on con- crete subjects may result in underestimation