In other cases, devices such as smartwatches have been used to narrow down ToD. In the lab, there are new techniques involve cellular evidence that determine cause of death. Obviously, there are the old but less accurate mainstays such as analysis of stomach contents. Circumstantial evidence has been used as well to give a ToD window, as in this case.
I believe that if these various things didn't all line up to the same approximate time (no method is going to give ToD down to the minute), the Defense would be in Court with a motion to dismiss.
So I prefer to believe that at least two of these methods show the same approximate ToD. Since we know Xana had likely eaten some of her DoorDash order, that would be studied, along with the food truck meal eaten by Kaylee and Maddie. If the window give by that analysis doesn't embrace the hours of 3-5 am, that would contradict the State's view of ToD. If even one victim was wearing a smartwatch, that should give a much more specific ToD.
Some other methods for estimating would involve degree of coagulation/drying of blood in the house.
Thanatochemistry (using biochemical products of the body to include time of death) is multi-pronged, but measuring potassium in the vitreous humor is a widespread technique (
Vitreous humor endogenous compounds analysis for post-mortem forensic investigation ) that has been in use for at least 15 years. Using body temperature is another method, which has lots of data involving ambient temperature vs. temperature of a cooling body to work with.
The post-mortem interval can be reliably determined up to 24 h after death, or when the body temperature cools to the ambient temperature...( Listos et al. in Forensic Science International, Vol. 289. pp 124-129)
I've pondered whether the murderer opened the lower door to the house to cool the house down and whether they may also have turned off the heater. Still, it takes up to 24 hours for even a smaller body to completely cool off (in winter temperatures, the window might be 12 hours instead). That's why using other methods, such as the newer methods in the article below, is more common:
Estimation of time since death is one of the challenges in forensic science. There are many approaches to estimate the postmortem interval, including both physical and thanatochemistry methods. Decomposition is triggered by a process called autolysis, which induces destructive changes in the...
link.springer.com
The proteins involved in cell death are sampled from various parts of the body; the system is one of the most accurate. It's been around for about 10 years, but most books in criminology forensics don't mention it, one is more likely to encounter it in a course of study of pathology or forensic anthropology. IMO
At any rate, if the time given by those methods doesn't line up with the time where BK's car was at the house, I do believe the Defense would file a motion to dismiss.
JMO.
nypost.com
radaronline.com
