Calculating time since death in a mock crime case comparing a new computational method (ExLAC) with the ADH method. (March 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Reibe-Pal, Saskia; Madea, Burkhard
• Is Part Of: Forensic science international. Volume 248(2015)
• Page Start: 78
• Page End: 81
• Publication Date: 2015-03
• Subjects: Estimating time since death -- Forensic entomology -- Computational model ExLAC -- ADH-method -- Calliphora vicina; Medical jurisprudence -- Periodicals; Chemistry, Forensic -- Periodicals; Forensic Medicine -- Periodicals; Médecine légale -- Périodiques; Chimie légale -- Périodiques; Gerechtelijke geneeskunde; Gerechtelijke chemie; Gerechtelijke psychiatrie; Chemistry, Forensic; Medical jurisprudence; Electronic journals; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 614.1
• DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2014.12.024
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0379-0738

Abstract

Highlights: We analyzed larvae of Calliphora vicina to calculate PMI in a mock crime case. We applied two methods: the method of accumulated degree hours (ADH) and a new model (ExLAC). ExLAC performs slightly better than the ADH method, using the same reference data. ExLAC calculates a statistical measure for the goodness of the estimated PMI. We show that reference data not locally sampled must not be used for estimating PMI. Abstract: We compared the results of calculating a minimum post-mortem interval (PMImin ) in a mock crime case using two different methods: accumulated degree hours (ADH method) and a newly developed computational model called ExLAC. For the ADH method we further applied five reference datasets for the development time of Calliphora vicina (Diptera: Calliphoridae) from 5 different countries and our results confirmed the following: (1) Reference data for blowfly development that has not been sampled using a local blowfly colony should not, in most circumstances, be used in estimating a PMI in real cases; and (2) The new method ExLAC might be a potential alternative to the ADH method.