frightfiction Chapter 1131 Determining the Time of Death
Chapter 1131 Determining the Time of Death
He put down the slice and looked at the steel pipe retrieved from the scene. "The diameter of the steel pipe and the force of the blow were just right to cause this level of rib fractures and heart rupture. It wouldn't instantly shatter the heart and cause immediate death, nor would it leave the victim with a chance to be saved due to the damage being too minor. It was a very precise and fatal blow."
“So, in summary,” Zhang Lin wrote in the autopsy record, his pen leaving clear marks on the paper, “the direct cause of death was acute cardiac tamponade due to right ventricular rupture, and the underlying cause was rib fracture caused by blunt force trauma (steel pipe). The entire process, from the impact to death, took no more than 15 minutes, and there was no hemorrhagic shock involved. This is completely consistent with the small amount of bloodstains found at the scene and the lack of obvious signs of movement on the part of the deceased.” Xiao Lin took notes beside him, every technical term accurate and precise. She knew that these details were not only an account of the deceased but also crucial pieces in reconstructing the truth.
Regarding the final confirmation of the time of death, Zhang Lin considered all the indicators. Wearing double gloves, he gently pressed the deceased's biceps; the muscle elasticity had almost completely disappeared, exhibiting a stiff state. "Rigoletto has formed throughout the body, and the jaw joint is ankylosed. Try moving his jaw," Zhang Lin said to Xiao Lin. Xiao Lin carefully supported the deceased's jaw with his hand, attempting to move it, but found it could only move less than 1 centimeter. "The wrist and ankle joints are also completely ankylosed. This widespread rigor mortis usually manifests 12-24 hours after death at normal temperature, but the high humidity of the warehouse slows down the development of rigor mortis, so adjustments are needed."
Zhang Lin picked up his ophthalmoscope and examined the deceased's cornea. "The corneal opacity is grade two, and there is slight cloudiness in the pupillary area, but the iris texture can still be faintly seen." He explained as he observed, "The degree of corneal opacity is one of the important indicators for determining the time of death. Grade one opacity usually appears 6-12 hours after death, grade two opacity appears 18-36 hours later, and grade three opacity makes the iris almost invisible, generally after 48 hours. Considering the high humidity of 62% in the warehouse, the corneal moisture evaporates slowly, and the degree of opacity will be less than in a normal temperature environment. Therefore, the actual time of death should be slightly longer than judged solely based on the degree of corneal opacity."
He then pointed to the corpse's skin and measured the area of the greenish tinge on the abdomen with a ruler. "The greenish tinge on the abdomen is about 5x6cm, located in the lower right abdomen. The greenish tinge is caused by bacteria in the intestines breaking down proteins to produce hydrogen sulfide, which combines with hemoglobin to form sulfhemoglobin, making the skin appear green. In a high-humidity environment, the bacterial reproduction rate is inhibited to some extent, so the greenish tinge will appear later than in a normal temperature environment, and the spread rate is also slower. This 5x6cm area of greenish tinge is a typical characteristic of death about 36 hours after death in a high-humidity environment. In a dry environment, the same area of greenish tinge may only take 24-30 hours."
Zhang Lin picked up a histological examination report, which detailed the microscopic findings of the myocardium, liver, and kidney tissues. "The myocardial cells showed mild swelling, the sarcoplasmic reticulum was dilated, a small amount of erythrocytes were observed in the hepatic sinusoids, and the renal tubular epithelial cells showed mild turbidity," he pointed to the images on the report. "These histological changes indicate that the time since death was sufficient for early autolysis, but not yet moderate. Combined with the inhibitory effect of a high-humidity environment on cell autolysis, this supports the judgment that death occurred approximately 36 hours ago."
He then picked up the vitreous fluid test report, which clearly showed a potassium ion concentration of 7.1 mmol/L. "The potassium ion concentration in vitreous fluid is a very reliable indicator for determining the time of death because it is less affected by the external environment. Potassium ions gradually increase over time, showing a relatively stable linear relationship," Zhang Lin explained. "Generally speaking, the potassium ion concentration in vitreous fluid increases by 0.1-0.15 mmol/L per hour after death. A normal person's pre-mortem potassium ion concentration in vitreous fluid is between 3.5-5.5 mmol/L. Based on this calculation, working backwards from 7.1 mmol/L, the time of death is approximately 30-40 hours."
“Let’s look at the changes in body temperature,” Zhang Lin said, pulling out previously recorded body temperature data. “The rectal temperature measured at the time of the autopsy was 23°C, while the warehouse ambient temperature was 25°C, a difference of 2°C. According to the formula for body temperature reduction, when the ambient temperature is higher than the body temperature, the rate of temperature reduction will be slower, especially in high humidity environments where air convection is poor and heat dissipation is slower. After calculation, considering a correction factor of 0.8 for high humidity environments, the time required for the body temperature to drop from the normal 37°C to 23°C is approximately 35-40 hours.”
Zhang Lin compiled all the indicators into a table and analyzed them one by one: "Rigidity indicates death 18-36 hours ago, corneal opacity indicates death 18-36 hours ago, cadaveric green indicates death 36 hours ago, histological examination indicates death 30-40 hours ago, vitreous humor potassium ion concentration indicates death 30-40 hours ago, and changes in body temperature indicate death 35-40 hours ago. Combining these indicators, taking the intersection range, and adjusting for the influence of high humidity, the final time of death is determined to be between 11 pm on July 14th and 1 am on July 15th."
Pointing to the time range on the table, he continued, "This time range perfectly matches the time the warehouse surveillance cameras were sabotaged. The surveillance footage shows that they were deliberately sabotaged around 10:50 PM on July 14th. The perpetrator likely began committing the crime immediately after sabotaging the cameras, which further confirms that our estimated time of death is reasonable." Xiao Lin diligently took notes, every piece of data and every judgment clearly presented in the autopsy report. These precise deductions would provide crucial temporal evidence for solving the case.
While sorting through the samples, Xiaolin suddenly discovered a deformed bearing in the deceased's left trouser pocket. The impact marks on the raceway perfectly matched the curvature of the steel pipe found at the scene. "It's 5cm in diameter, exactly the missing 6205 model," she measured the bearing's deformation. "The dent in the raceway is 0.5mm deep, matching the diameter of the steel pipe. It must have been struck by the pipe during the struggle." Zhang Lin nodded, and the scalpel finally sliced across the deceased's heart: "The cause of death is singular: blunt force trauma leading to rib fractures, puncturing the right ventricle and causing acute cardiac tamponade. The death process was rapid, from injury to death within 10 minutes, which is consistent with the absence of a large amount of blood splatter at the scene."
As the last stitch pierced the skin, dawn broke outside the window. Zhang Lin looked at the autopsy report's conclusions; the determination of the time and cause of death fit together perfectly like a jigsaw puzzle. The matching of bearing steel powder, the DNA under the fingernails, the bruises caused by dragging, the injury characteristics matching the steel pipe at the scene… every detail told the story of the deceased's final encounter, and the murderer, carrying a size 43 diamond-patterned shoe print, would eventually surface step by step, guided by these autopsy findings.