The Impact of Burning on Decomposition Timeline: A Comparative Study Between Burnt and Strangulated Porcine Carrions

Crimes involving fire are becoming increasingly common, and criminals often use fire to mask the actual cause of death, conceal the identity of the victims, and hide evidence related to the crime scene. This study was designed to compare the decomposition timeline between burnt and strangulated porcine carrions to evaluate differential decomposition timeline involving burnt and strangled victims. This research was done in the Department of Anatomy and Forensic Anthropology Research Facility (DAFARF) in CRUETCH, for a period of 30 days. Four pigs (sus scrofa domestica) weighing 30-35 kg each were used as animal models. Two pigs were burnt to death using scale 1 of Crow-Glassman burning scale, and two pigs were sacrificed through strangulation. Immediately death was confirmed, all pigs were enclosed in wire mesh cages and left on the open earth surface drifted 10 metres apart. Physical observations for postmortem changes taken through total body score, collection of insects for entomological analysis, as well as core and ambient temperature readings were recorded. Total body scores were assessed to observe regional decay rates and patterns between the carrions. Soil before and after the experiment were collected for physicochemical analysis and volatile fatty acids. The result showed that the burned carrion decomposed faster with statistically significant (p<0.01) higher values recorded in total score of the burnt carrion when compared with strangulated carrion. Injuries from the flames were observed to have propagated and increased the rate of decomposition. So physicochemical parameters had similar impact on both carrions, with no statistically significant (p<0.01) difference between the burned and strangulated carrions. This result may avail forensic experts the requisite knowledge of decomposition science associated with differential modes of death and proper application in estimation of postmortem interval.

Key Words: decomposition, taphonomy, burnt, strangulation, carrion