IMO there is no circumstance where they would not be to record and estimated TOD after finding the bodies within the next 24-48 hours. It is one of the most important parts of the pathology report in a homicide case. There are numerous changes the body makes postmortem and these changes can be measured/observed and recorded to determine that estimation. Fire could potentially influence TOD estimation, but if there was a fire arson investigators would also be involved.
I have read a new coroner was the one who conducted the initial autopsies, and that the transportation of the bodies to the forensic pathologist was delayed and/or there wasn’t proper storage of the bodies due to lack of proper equipment? I have been wondering this entire time what is true and what is not true. If a coroner first did an autopsy before the forensic pathologist, that would be very odd in a double homicide of this magnitude. If, theoretically, the storage and/or transfer of the bodies wasn’t properly conducted in a timely manner, this could also influence the TOD estimation by the pathologist. For example, the Iceman, got his nickname by LE because he put some of his victims in a freezer and waited months to dump them, which confused pathologists because they had been preserved-this is why following proper protocol is so important.
Can anyone explain these discrepancies to me? I have seen names of a forensic pathologist and a local coroner online, but I wasn’t around in the beginning so I am still confused about what order all of this happened? Did a local coroner (who signed off on the state death certificates) conduct an autopsy before the forensic pathologist? How far were they transported to the pathologist/where was the pathologist located? TIA!
MOO
For anyone who’s interested in reading what all is analyzed to determine TOD:
Methods of Estimation of Time Since Death (2023)
Forensic pathologists are essentially required to estimate the time since death (TSD) to assist in death investigation by limiting the investigation period and thus helping narrow down the number of suspects in homicide cases. TSD also provides valuable information in establishing the timeline...
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov