Forensic Science International 261 (2016) 93–100

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Forensic Science International

journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/forsciint

Comparison of decomposition rates between autopsied and

non-autopsied human remains
Lennon N. Bates *, Daniel J. Wescott
Forensic Anthropology Center at Texas State, Department of Anthropology, Texas State University, 601 University Drive, San Marcos, TX 78666, United States

A R T I C L E I N F O A B S T R A C T

Article history: Penetrating trauma has been cited as a significant factor in the rate of decomposition. Therefore,
Received 14 April 2015 penetrating trauma may have an effect on estimations of time-since-death in medicolegal investigations
Received in revised form 21 December 2015 and on research examining decomposition rates and processes when autopsied human bodies are used.
Accepted 6 February 2016
The goal of this study was to determine if there are differences in the rate of decomposition between
Available online 15 February 2016
autopsied and non-autopsied human remains in the same environment. The purpose is to shed light on
how large incisions, such as those from a thorocoabdominal autopsy, effect time-since-death
Keywords:
estimations and research on the rate of decomposition that use both autopsied and non-autopsied
Human decomposition
Forensic taphonomy
human remains.
Forensic anthropology In this study, 59 non-autopsied and 24 autopsied bodies were studied. The number of accumulated
Postmortem interval degree days required to reach each decomposition stage was then compared between autopsied and
Accumulated degree days non-autopsied remains. Additionally, both types of bodies were examined for seasonal differences in
Internal body temperature decomposition rates. As temperature affects the rate of decomposition, this study also compared the
internal body temperatures of autopsied and non-autopsied remains to see if differences between the
two may be leading to differential decomposition. For this portion of this study, eight non-autopsied and
five autopsied bodies were investigated. Internal temperature was collected once a day for two weeks.
The results showed that differences in the decomposition rate between autopsied and non-autopsied
remains was not statistically significant, though the average ADD needed to reach each stage of
decomposition was slightly lower for autopsied bodies than non-autopsied bodies. There was also no
significant difference between autopsied and non-autopsied bodies in the rate of decomposition by
season or in internal temperature. Therefore, this study suggests that it is unnecessary to separate
autopsied and non-autopsied remains when studying gross stages of human decomposition in Central
Texas and that penetrating trauma may not be a significant factor in the overall rate of decomposition.
ß 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

1. Introduction one of the factors that significantly affect decomposition rates

Estimating the postmortem interval (PMI) is an issue shared by
many forensic science disciplines including anthropology, medi-
cine, entomology, and microbiology, among others. In the past,
numerous researchers have examined the rate and process of gross
tissue modifications occurring in human remains during the PMI
[1–24]. In these studies and others, copious intrinsic (e.g., body
mass, cause of death) and extrinsic (e.g., abiotic environment,
scavenger access, soil pH, depositional environment) factors have
been identified that affect the rate, and sometimes pattern, of
decomposition. Penetrating trauma to the body has been cited as
* Corresponding author.
E-mail address: lennon.bates@crimelab.arkansas.gov (L.N. Bates).
[2,3,8,24–27]. In this study we compare the rate and pattern of
decomposition between autopsied and non-autopsied human
remains to investigate the effect of penetrating trauma on
decomposition rates. Thorocoabdominal autopsies require a large
incision from the neck to the pelvis that penetrates the skin and
exposes the chest and abdominal organs. Hence, the comparison of
autopsied and non-autopsied bodies allows for the investigation of
whether penetrating trauma affects the rate and pattern of
decomposition in an outdoor setting. Additionally, it is important
to understand how autopsy incisions may affect taphonomic
studies utilizing both autopsied and non-autopsied bodies.
The effects of penetrating trauma to the body caused by sharp-
force or projectile wounds on the rate of decomposition have
been debatable [2,3,8,25–27]. Mann and colleagues [2] first argued
that penetrating wounds substantially increased the rate of

http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.forsciint.2016.02.008
0379-0738/ß 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.
94 L.N. Bates, D.J. Wescott / Forensic Science International 261 (2016) 93–100

decomposition because of increased fly oviposition. However, some insight into possible ultimate causes of any differences in
more recent studies [28,29] have contradicted the significant effect decomposition rates between autopsied and non-autopsied
of penetrating trauma on the rate of decomposition. Cross and bodies.
Simmons [28] found no significant effects of gunshot trauma on
body temperature, total body score, or time required for the body
2. Methods
to proceed from fresh to skeletonization. Likewise, Smith [29]
found that penetrating trauma caused by sharp-force influenced
2.1. Sample
the pattern of decomposition but not the overall rate of
decomposition. Therefore, understanding the effect of penetrating
For this study photographs of 83 individuals (59 non-autopsied
trauma on decomposition rates has practical applications in the
and 24 autopsied) donated to the Forensic Anthropology Center at
forensic sciences.
Texas State (FACTS) from 2010 to 2013 were examined. The fresh
In addition to the direct application of understanding the role of
bodies were placed unclothed in a supine position on the ground
penetrating trauma on the rate of decomposition, differences in
surface at the Forensic Anthropology Research Facility (FARF) on
decomposition between autopsied and non-autopsied bodies may
Freeman Ranch in San Marcos, TX. A donation was considered
also have an effect on taphonomic research. While many of the
autopsied if it contained an abdominal autopsy incision, and non-
early studies on decomposition rates relied on animal models
autopsied if they contained no abdominal autopsy incision. Any
[7,15,16] or retrospective analyses of medicolegal cases
remains with a cranial autopsy alone were considered non-
[1,4,10,13], many recent studies [3,8,11,12,14,17,18,20] utilize
autopsied, as the incision from the cranial autopsy was much
donated human remains placed at dedicated decomposition
smaller and assumed not to greatly affect the overall rate of
facilities, especially in the United States, to help control for some
decomposition. The sample was analyzed without regard to
factors while directly monitoring others. However, most of the
differences in sex, ancestry, age, cause of death, or body size.
decomposition research facilities accept both autopsied and non-
autopsied whole body donations. If the autopsied remains differ
2.2. Decomposition stages
from non-autopsied bodies in the rate of decomposition, the
inclusion of autopsied bodies in taphonomic studies could skew
Photographs and notes recorded for each of the 83 bodies were
resulting PMI estimations. On the other hand, if there is no
examined to determine the day a donation reached each stage of
difference in the rate of decomposition between autopsied and
decomposition (i.e., early, advanced, and mummification) follow-
non-autopsied remains then sample sizes could be increased for
ing the criteria outlined by Galloway and colleagues [1] (Table 1,
many studies. Therefore, it is necessary to investigate the
Fig. 1). Since the stages of skeletonization and extreme decompo-
differences, if any, in the processes and rate of decomposition
sition are seldom reached at FARF these stages were omitted [20].
between autopsied and non-autopsied bodies used in studies
Notes and photographs were recorded daily (on weekdays) for two
focused on the estimation of time-since-death.
weeks after placement and then every other weekday until the
Because autopsied bodies have large abdominal and chest
bodies mummified.
incisions, insect access as well as internal body temperature may
differ between autopsied and non-autopsied remains [2,4–
2.3. Accumulated degree days
8,10,13,15,16,19,30]. The large incision (penetrating trauma)
may result in greater heat loss from the abdomen during
The relationship between the beginning of each decomposition
decomposition, lowering the overall internal temperature of
stage and the accumulated degree days (ADD) was examined.
autopsied remains and reducing the rate of decomposition [2].
Accumulated degree days take into account the thermal energy
However, the incision may also provide a moist area for insect
units available for decomposition. Therefore, the use of ADD rather
oviposition [2,31,32]. As a result, during the consumption phase
than calendar days accounts for temperature differences due to
(active feeding stage of larvae), there could be a localized increase
time of year [10].
in temperature [33], which could increase the rate of decomposi-
To calculate ADD, ambient temperature data (8C) was obtained
tion. However, Kelly and colleagues [34] found that increased
from the Texas A&M Forest Weather Station. To ensure the Texas
internal temperatures associated with the decomposition of
A&M station provided an accurate representation of the ambient
clothed and wrapped pigs resulted in higher rates of maggot
temperature at FARF, daily temperature data was collected at FARF
death, which could slow the decomposition rate. In addition,
for one month using a thermocouple data logger and compared to
autopsied remains generally contain an organ bag sewn inside the
the forest site data. A t-test reviled no significant differences in
abdomen. The fact that the organs are contained in a plastic bag
temperature between FARF and the forest site (t-score = 0.6327,
may limit insect access to the organs but also allow for increased
CV = 2.042).
temperature. Therefore, due to the incision and organ bag,
After acquiring the temperature data, ADD was calculated from
autopsied bodies may decompose at different rates when
the date of placement at FARF to the day each body reached early,
compared to non-autopsied bodies, which could affect PMI
advanced, and mummified stages and between decomposition
calculations based on autopsied remains. Since this may have
stages (i.e., early to advanced, early to mummification, advanced to
implications in medicolegal death investigations, it is important to
determine if the use of autopsied bodies skews regional PMI
calculations based on gross modifications of the soft tissues during Table 1
decomposition. Stages of decomposition used in the current study.
The goal of this study was to investigate if an autopsy incision
Stage Description
affects decomposition rates and internal body temperatures in the
subtropic environment of Texas Hill Country. Ultimately, the Fresh No discoloration, no insect activity
Early Skin slippage, green discoloration, bloat
purpose is to shed light on the effect of penetrating trauma on
Advanced Sagging of the flesh following post-bloat, caving in
estimations of time-since-death and to determine whether at the abdominal cavity, high maggot activity,
utilizing both autopsied and non-autopsied human remains in Mummification Complete drying out of soft tissue,
forensic taphonomy studies skews the results of decomposition retention of skin in leathery, tattered state.
and resulting PMI estimations. Additionally, this study aims to gain Adapted from Galloway and colleagues [1].
 L.N. Bates, D.J. Wescott / Forensic Science International 261 (2016) 93–100
Fig. 1. Examples of decomposition stages. All photographs are of D23-2013. (A) Early decomposition with skin slippage, bloat and discoloration. (B) Advanced decomposition
with sunken chest and aftermath of high insect activity [high insect activity was beginning in (A)]. (C) Mummification with desiccated, tattered, and leathery skin.
Photographs courtesy of FACTS.
mummification) using the average of the maximum and minimum
daily temperatures. Following Megysei et al. [10], if the tempera-
ture was a negative value, 0 8C was used.
2.4. Internal body temperature: autopsied vs. non-autopsied human
remains
To examine the effect of internal body temperature on
differences between autopsied and non-autopsied remains an
additional phase of the study was conducted using a subset of the
83 individuals that were placed at FARF during the study period
(April to November 2013). Internal body temperature (8C) was
recorded for five autopsied and eight non-autopsied bodies
received during the study period for comparison. Internal body
temperature was determined using the following procedure. First,
a thermocouple data logger set to record temperature every second
was used to record the ambient temperature ten feet from the
donation for 3 min. Second, a perforation of the skin was created in
the left lower abdomen just medial to the left anterior superior iliac
spine at the time of body placement at FARF. This skin perforation
was used to insert the temperature probe of the thermocouple data
logger. The logger probe was then inserted into the perforation of
the donation for 2 min to record the body temperature to the
nearest degree Celsius. To prevent gas release between tempera-
ture recordings, the perforation in the abdomen was closed using
adhesive tape. This procedure was repeated for each donation
(autopsied and non-autopsied) each morning (between 8:00 A.M.
and 10:00 A.M.) for two weeks after the date of placement. The
ambient temperature was then subtracted from the internal body
temperature to calculate the difference between the ambient and
body temperatures. The calculation was based on the highest
95
ambient and internal body temperatures recorded by the logger
during a single episode.
2.5. Statistical analyses
The ADD values were statistically analyses to determine if there
was a significant difference between the rates of decomposition in
autopsied and non-autopsied remains. t-Tests were used to
examine differences between autopsied and non-autopsied bodies
in the ADD required for each of the following decomposition
periods: (1) placement to early decomposition; (2) placement to
advanced decomposition; (3) placement to mummification; (4)
early to advanced decomposition; and (5) advanced decomposi-
tion to mummification. An a-level of 0.05 was used to determine
significance. An f-test was used to determine if the variance
between samples was equal. None of the samples showed unequal
variance so equal variance t-tests were used for all comparisons.
When the donations were ordered by increasing ADD from
placement to mummification a seasonal trend emerged. Therefore,
the donated bodies were split according to the time of year they
were placed at FARF. Bodies placed in the Fall/Winter (October–
March) required on average 938.1 ADD to reach mummification
while bodies placed in the Spring/Summer (April–September)
reached mummification in 528.1 ADD on average. This difference is
statistically significant (p = 0.0023), and shows that there is a
seasonal effect in decomposition rates even when using ADD.
Therefore, it was necessary to investigate if there was a difference
in autopsied and non-autopsied remains by season. t-Tests were
performed to test the null hypothesis that there is no significant
difference between autopsied and non-autopsied remains for each
period of decomposition based on season of placement.
96 L.N. Bates, D.J. Wescott / Forensic Science International 261 (2016) 93–100

t-Tests were also used to investigate differences between the
internal body temperatures of the autopsied and non-autopsied
human remains using the difference between the ambient
temperature and the internal body temperature. The internal
temperature data were then analyzed using multiple regression
analyses for the autopsied and non-autopsied remains, separately.
3. Results
3.1. Decomposition rates between autopsied and non-autopsied
human remains
Table 2 provides the descriptive statistics for ADD calculated at
each stage of decomposition. That is, the ADD required to reach the
stage of decomposition. Autopsied remains had a lower mean and
standard deviation when compared to non-autopsied remains.
This is true for all decomposition stages (Fig. 2); however, the
differences are not significant for any stage of decomposition
(Table 3).
3.2. Decomposition rates between autopsied and non-autopsied
human remains by season of death
Fig. 3 shows the average ADD for both autopsied and non-
autopsied remains separated by season of placement. For both
types of remains the bodies decomposing in the Spring/Summer
months had lower ADD values compared to bodies placed in the
Fall/Winter months for all stages of decomposition. However, the
equal variance t-tests show no significant difference in the rate of
decomposition between the autopsied and non-autopsied remains
when separated by season of death (Table 4). That is, while there is
a significant difference in the rate of decomposition between Fall/
Winter and Spring/Summer placements, the difference in the rate
of decomposition between autopsied and non-autopsied remains
was not statistically significant when the donations were split by
season.
Though there was no significant difference in decomposition
rates between autopsied and non-autopsied remains (Table 3), the
average ADD for autopsied bodies was lower than for the non-
autopsied bodies (Fig. 2). As seen in Fig. 3A, this trend also was

Table 2
Descriptive statistics for the ADD at each stage of decomposition for non-autopsied and autopsied remains (all values are in units of ADD).

Placement to early Placement to advanced Early to advanced Placement to mummified Advanced to mummified

Non-Autopsied
Mean 116.8 297.6 175.9 741.3 412.4
Standard Deviation 87.3 187.2 137.5 510.8 315.8
Median 95.0 262.0 130.6 688.3 387.7
Range 580.9 956.9 858.0 2754.9 1192.8
Variance 7624.8 35,047.1 18,913.3 260,941.2 99,736.8

Autopsied
Mean 100.6 258.2 157.6 587.9 324.5
Standard Deviation 54.6 115.9 95.0 263.2 194.7
Median 99.3 252.6 118.0 529.2 324.1
Range 201.9 419.5 356.1 850.5 703.4
Variance 2985.1 13,437.0 9033.0 69,264.9 37,923.8

Fig. 2. Comparison of decomposition between non-autopsied and autopsied in mean ADD.

 L.N. Bates, D.J. Wescott / Forensic Science International 261 (2016) 93–100 97

Table 3
t-Tests comparing all autopsied and non-autopsied remains.

Period of decomposition N f-Test score p-Value Equal variance t-Test score df p-Value
Autopsied, non-autopsied (f-Test) (a = 0.05)? (t-test)

Placement to early 24, 59 0.0153 1 Yes 0.4031 81 0.6879

Placement to advanced 24, 57 0.0139 1 Yes 0.3424 79 0.6967
Early to advanced 21, 58 0.0019 1 Yes 0.1940 77 0.7796
Placement to mummification 24, 56 0.0634 1 Yes 0.5565 78 0.5484
Advanced to mummification 21, 54 0.0285 1 Yes 0.2388 73 0.7194

Fig. 3. Comparison of decomposition between non-autopsied and autopsied in mean ADD for (A) fall/winter months and (B) spring/summer months.

Table 4
t-Tests comparing autopsied and non-autopsied remains by season of placement.

Period of decomposition N f-Test score p-Value Equal variance? t-Test score df p-Value
Autopsied, non-autopsied (f-test) a = 0.05 (t-test)

Spring/summer months (April–September)

Placement to early 28, 12 0.8716 0.6338 Yes 0.5140 38 0.6102
Placement to advanced 26, 13 0.6874 0.7931 Yes 0.9361 37 0.3553
Placement to mummification 27, 10 0.1541 0.9999 Yes 0.5409 35 0.5920
Early to advanced 26, 12 0.8103 0.6834 Yes 0.7566 36 0.4542
Advanced to mummification 25, 10 0.2770 0.9943 Yes 0.1264 33 0.9002

Fall/winter months (October–March)

Placement to early 32, 12 0.0041 1 Yes 0.5585 42 0.5795
Placement to advanced 32, 12 0.0325 1 Yes 0.3755 42 0.7092
Placement to mummification 32, 11 0.0183 1 Yes 0.2373 41 0.8136
Early to advanced 31, 12 0.0054 1 Yes 0.2805 41 0.7805
Advanced to mummification 30, 11 0.0002 1 Yes 0.0042 39 0.9967

consistent in the bodies placed in the Fall/Winter. The largest
difference was between placement and mummification.
The donations that decomposed during the Spring/Summer
seasons exhibited a different trend, however (Fig. 3B). In general, the
differences in ADD needed to reach each stage of decomposition were
less pronounced between autopsied and non-autopsied remains
during the Spring/Summer than in the Fall/Winter (Fig. 3). In
addition, the mean ADD required to go from the early to advanced
decomposition stages was marginally higher for autopsied remains
during the Spring/Summer but not in the Fall/Winter (Fig. 3).
Once autopsied donations reached this temperature they remained
closer to ambient than the non-autopsied remains, and the bodies
often dropped below ambient temperature (Fig. 4). There also was
greater variation in the difference between ambient and internal
body temperatures for the autopsied remains when compared to
the non-autopsied bodies. The quadratic regression model
explained more of the variability in temperature for the non-
autopsied (49.6%) compared to the autopsied remains (35.6%).
4. Discussion and conclusion

3.3. Internal body temperature: autopsied vs. non-autopsied
The results of the fifteen t-tests showed no significant
difference between autopsied and non-autopsied remains
(a = 0.05) in the difference between internal and ambient
temperature. However, polynomial (quadratic) regression analysis
revealed that it took slightly longer (approximately one day more)
for the autopsied remains to reach ambient temperature (Fig. 4).
In the past several decades the increase in the number of human
decomposition research facilities in the United States has
permitted more controlled examination of specific research
questions associated with the postmortem interval by using
donated human remains with known dates of death and
environmental conditions [8,18,35,36]. However, these facilities
often accept both autopsied and non-autopsied remains. There-
fore, it is important to recognize if and how autopsied and
98 L.N. Bates, D.J. Wescott / Forensic Science International 261 (2016) 93–100
Fig. 4. Multiple regression for internal body temperature of non-autopsied and autopsied remains. The solid line represents non-autopsied remains and the dashed line
represents autopsied remains. The R2 values are 0.496 for the non-autopsied and 0.356 for the autopsied remains.
non-autopsied human remains differ in their decomposition
patterns, as this may affect past and future human decomposition
studies. Understanding whether an autopsy incision affects human
also has implications for practitioners estimating the time-since-
death of individuals with penetrating trauma.
4.1. Decomposition rate: autopsied vs. non-autopsied human remains
The results of this study showed that an abdominal autopsy
incision did not statistically affect the overall decomposition
rate of autopsied remains in the subtropical environment of
Central Texas. Therefore, for many taphonomic studies autop-
sied bodies can be used to increase sample sizes. Even so, when
all donations were considered together, the mean ADD values
needed for autopsied bodies to reach each stage of decomposi-
tion were consistently lower than those for non-autopsied
bodies. This is also true for the donations placed during the
Fall/Winter months. Therefore, in some studies autopsied bodies
Fig. 5. Maggot mass concentrated at the autopsy incision of donation D59-2013
(Photograph courtesy of FACTS).
may not be appropriate because the rate of decomposition
between autopsied and non-autopsied bodies may be driven by
different factors.
It is very likely that these statistically insignificant but
consistent differences between autopsied and non-autopsied
bodies are due to small differences in internal body temperature
and insect activity. The non-autopsied bodies reach higher
internal body temperatures during early and advanced decom-
position, which would promote faster decay. However, the
autopsy incision promotes fly oviposit, which also increases
decay rates. Flies generally prefer to oviposit in dark, moist areas
that give the larvae access to the internal portions of the body
[31]. The large abdominal autopsy incision provides an ideal
space for oviposition. In fact, maggot masses often concentrate at
the autopsy incision in human remains decomposing at FARF
(Fig. 5). The slightly smaller difference in ADD needed for the
autopsied bodies to reach each stage of decomposition in the
Spring/Summer when insects are most active also suggests that
insect activity may be playing a role.
4.2. Internal body temperature: autopsied vs. non-autopsied
Based on the results of the t-tests performed, there was no
significant difference in the internal body temperature between
autopsied and non-autopsied human remains for the first two
weeks of decomposition. This was unexpected since we assumed
that the autopsy incision would result in heat loss. However, it is
also possible that increased maggot activity along the incisions
raised the temperature enough to cancel out the heat loss at the
incision. There was no significant difference in internal body
temperature between the autopsied and non-autopsied remains at
placement, so differences in body temperature at placement did
not affect the results.
Regression of the difference between internal body and
ambient temperatures does show that autopsied bodies remain
closer to the ambient temperature than non-autopsied bodies. The
reason for this is likely due to some heat loss through the autopsy
incision. One of the bodies examined but not included in statistical
analyses for this study was D31-2013. While D31-2013 did not
have an abdominal autopsy incision, the individual did have large
 L.N. Bates, D.J. Wescott / Forensic Science International 261 (2016) 93–100
incisions in the lower limbs related to bone donation. An
examination of the internal body temperature data shows that
this individual remained closer to ambient temperature than both
the autopsied and non-autopsied remains, suggesting that any
large penetrating incision may lower the internal body tempera-
ture. For D31-2013 there was a small spike in the internal
temperature at Day 8. However, this spike is probably due to the
temperature data being collected in the evening rather than the
morning, allowing the body to accumulate more heat. While no
conclusions can be made based on a single individual, future
studies should examine how large penetrating incisions affect the
internal body temperature during decomposition.
4.3. Seasonal variation
When comparing rates of decomposition by season of death,
bodies placed in the Spring/Summer require less ADD to reach
each stage of decomposition regardless of body treatment than
those placed in the Fall/Winter. This result is not consistent with
the assumptions made by Megyesi and colleagues [10]. The
results of this study show that even when ADD is use to account
for seasonal variation in temperature, the season of death
still affects the rate of decomposition. Therefore, future studies
should consider other seasonal factors (e.g., activity of
insects and microbes, humidity, precipitation) besides just
temperature.
We hypothesize that seasonal differences in insect activity is
probably the main causal factor for seasonal variation. In this
study, there were no differences in the rate of decomposition
between autopsied and non-autopsied remains by season of
death, so the seasonal factors affecting decomposition appear to
be the same for both autopsied and non-autopsied remains. While
there is seasonal variation in humidity and precipitation, the
humidity varies only slightly throughout the year in the Central
Texas environment [37]. Consequently, humidity differences are
not likely to be a major causal factor in the different rates of
decomposition between the Spring/Summer and Fall/Winter
bodies. Furthermore, although the autopsied bodies remained
closer to the ambient temperature for the 14-day period in this
study, the non-autopsied remains generally required more ADD to
reach each stage of decomposition, which is the opposite
expected. This lends support to the hypothesis that a greater
insect activity in the autopsied bodies was more important than
the temperature difference. Further research is needed to
investigate the cause of seasonal effects in decomposition based
on ADD.
4.4. Effects of trauma on decomposition rates
Penetrative trauma is generally accepted as a factor influenc-
ing human decomposition rates [2,3,25,26]. However, more
recently Cross and Simmons [28] and Smith [29] found that
penetrating trauma can influence the pattern of decomposition
but does not affect the rate. Smith [29] observed that decomposi-
tion begins in the face in pigs without incisions and at the site of
trauma in those with penetrating injuries, but the rate of
decomposition was the same for pigs with and without
penetrating trauma. The results of the present study do provide
some insight into this topic since the autopsy incision represents
major sharp-force trauma. Like Smith [29] and Cross and Simmons
[28], the results of this study suggest that penetrating trauma
mainly affect the pattern of decomposition but not the rate. In this
study the consistent trend, in terms of lower mean ADD in the
autopsied bodies, suggests that penetrating trauma may have a
small effect on decomposition rates by providing greater access
for insects.
99
5. Conclusion
Understanding differences in the decomposition rates of
autopsied and non-autopsied remains is important in the
evaluation of previous studies, for planning future studies at
human decomposition facilities, and for forensic scientists
estimating the time-since-death of remains with large penetrating
wounds. Based on the results of this study, rate of decomposition
and internal body temperatures did not differ significantly
between autopsied and non-autopsied human remains. Therefore,
studies examining gross morphological changes in the body or
temperature differences can use both autopsied and non-
autopsied remains. However, caution should be used when the
study involves examining the patterns of decomposition or
differences in insect activity.
Acknowledgements
We would like to thank Ray Kamp and Texas A&M University for
access to the weather data used in this study. We would also like to
thank Kelsee Hentschel for her aid in internal body temperature
data collection. Finally, this research project would not have been
possible without FACTS and the financial support provided by
Grady Early and the Texas State University Graduate College Thesis
Research Support Fellowship.
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