Susquehanna Township High School

Forensic Science Class

Death Scene Investigation 2007

Death Scene Data Sheet ,Wednesday, May 23, 2007

Weather: sunny, warm and clear skies

Ambient Air Temperature	83.1 ^OF
Body Surface Temperature	116.7 ^OF
Under Body Temperature	96.8^OF
Soil Temperature (4 cm depth)	91.7^OF
Maggot Mass Temperature	113.1^OF

Observations:

The Death Scene Investigation began today with observations made by the Forensic Science Class period 9. Andrea F. was our Crime Scene Photographers. Our class was excited to be able to observe a turkey vulture as it fed on the corpse. We had noticed that "something" had been feeding on the corpse, we assumed it was the coyote. But as we watched from a distance the vulture hopped around the corpse pulling at the carcass. We also noticed that the ears of the deer had been chewed off, something we have never seen before in our investigations. The corpse now has a colony of Blow Fly larvae or "Maggots" demonstrating the life cycle of the blow fly. There are 2 maggot masses on the body. The larvae have have to feed and grow on the corpse in order to move into the next two stages or instars.

This is the first time one of our classes has witnessed a vulture feeding on the corpse.

The ears of the deer have been chewed off, perhaps by the vulture?.

Investigators look for the larvae in other parts of the corpse.

Under corpse temperatures are getting harder to collect with the odors coming from the corpse in the "purging" stage of decomposition.

Thermometers are placed into the center of the maggot mass to determine the temperature.

The corpse is starting to purge as evident in the fluids coming from the body.

Maggot movie

movie of maggots in an investigator's hand (click on the image and the movie will play in your media player)

Maggots are necrophages , which means that they fed on the dead.

The Blow Fly larvae (maggots) are sampled from the maggot mass. Age of the larvae can be determined by the typical size of each species of blow life.

Crime Scene Photos Andrea F. for getting up close, we know it wasn't easy for you!

Vulture image captured by the steady hand of Brittany B.

Go to Day 5 of the Investigation

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