Macroscopical Findings on Soil-Embedded Skeletal Remains Allowing the Exclusion of a Forensically Relevant Lay Time

Abstract

So far, a reliable determination of the postmortem interval (PMI) of human bones or skeletal remains is possible neither by morphological examinations nor by extensive technical investigations. Concerning forensic osteological practice, in most cases, the question of the length of the PMI can be restricted to the exclusion of a forensically relevant lay time (in the present context corresponding to a PMI of >50 years). We reviewed 21 original publications from the literature and surveyed the results on the basis of our own experience with macroscopical findings of soil-embedded bones with known lay times. A total of 1259 bones and the respective findings were evaluated. Eleven macromorphological findings are presented that are of relevance when present and, in addition, five findings that are relevant through their absence for the determination of a PMI of more than 50 years. In none of the reviewed publications were these criteria described in soil-embedded bones with a lay time of less than 50 years. These elaborated findings are a basis for the macromorphological exclusion of a forensically relevant lay time of soil-embedded skeletal remains in a given case.