Medico-Legal Update
  • Year: 2017
  • Volume: 17
  • Issue: 1

Study of Post Mortem Interval Using Entomological Evidence

1Asst Prof, Dept of Forensic Medicine, St Johns Medical College, Bangalore

2Assoc Prof, Dept of Forensic Medicine, Bangalore Medical College, Bangalore

Online published on 7 February, 2017.

Abstract

The largest biological group on earth is arthropods and they are most important biological group which can be found in all locations including crime scenes. The study of insect are called entomology and application of entomological evidence in solving crime and estimation of time since death is called Forensic Entomology. In this study entomological evidence has been used in 51 cases of decomposed bodies to calculate time since death. Calculated time since death by entomological evidence is compared with estimated time since death by police enquiry and post mortem examination. Paired T test done which was found that, but for mean estimate for post mortem examination and larval length methods all other methods were not significantly different. The estimate using entomological evidence corroborate well with estimate made in police report and post mortem examination.

Keywords

Arthropods, Crime scene, Post mortem examination, Time since death