Yes they are pale but depending on the cause of death they are blue for a while. I say this as a former worker with a Medical Examiner's office and all the removals I did while training in mortuary school to be a funeral director.
For instance, I found someone dead of a heroin overdose in January. He had been dead over 24 hours. He was extremely blue, darkish purple. And rigor had not broken yet. ETA he was in a very cold and clean indoor home, so he had not been tampered with in any way. [he was my 1st love just here temporarily]
---that's one of the main reasons I no longer want to be involved in traditional Funerary ventures, only as a celebrant for free---
So I can't say what they would have looked like and I didn't mean to butt in.
You are correct in many cases that they can appear very pale.
From strangulation it would seem the face would be affected and if it went on long enough, the eyes and tongues would protrude.

just my own sad and sickening opinion
Chi