Adipocere formation and the stain in the trunk
Original article posted on January 22, 2010
In a previous comment I made on the Community discussion on the formation of adipocere thread, I stated that I do not believe the scientific community has a firm handle on what environmental triggers will actually produce adipocere. I went further to state it almost appears that eventually it may be determined that the body of the decedant plays more into this phenomenon than the environment. I based this comment on the fact that when various research articles and books dealing with the topic of adipocere formation are taken into account, there are more exceptions to any given tentative “rule” on what is required for the production of adipocere than there are rules that seem to remain constant. If a theorized set of conditions are presented and the data set looks like birdshot on the side of a barn, odds are the rule hasn’t been perfected yet. To be clear on what I’m saying here, there is no question of the chemical reaction that must take place for adipocere to form. What is in question appears to be the required environment in order for adipocere to form.
In this article we will review research conducted by Zimmermann et al. of a 30 year old stain left behind by a corpse and see if there is some information that could help us understand the nature of the stain in Casey’s trunk, as well as where the adipocere on the napkins from the trash bag in her trunk originated, but also to show that it cannot be stated with certainty that the conditions were not conducive to Caylee’s body forming adipocere. Adipocere seems to almost have a will of its own (at least until a better understanding of the environmental requirements for its formation is obtained).
On December 1, 1978 Margaret Schilling, a 53 year old patient at the Athens Mental Health and Retardation Center in Athens, Ohio, went missing. Her body was not discovered until January 11, 1979. She had died in an abandoned wing of the hospital, lying on a bare concrete floor. There were no signs of foul play and her death was ruled natural. Based on the stage of advanced decomposition, PMI at the time of the discovery of her body was ruled 4 to 5 weeks, right at when she went missing. There were some strange things, however, about the death scene. Those who found her body state she was naked, with her clothes neatly folded nearby.
The average temperature and humidity in the area has not been determined, but considering the stage of decomposition, it was assumed warm enough to facilitate the bacterial growth needed for decomposition. It should be noted that the 4 to 5 weeks between Ms. Schilling disappearing and the discovery of her body was in December to January, and in Ohio. Historical data for Columbus, Ohio, a nearby larger city, shows the average monthly temperature for December in this area to be 33 degrees F with a high of 41 and a low of 26. January is historically the coldest month of the year in this area with an average monthly temperature of 28 F, a high of 36 and a low of 20.
It is reported after Ms. Schilling’s body was discovered and removed from the scene, the floor was cleaned. But to this day there is a body-shaped stain on the concrete slab that remains despite 3 decades and several cleanings. This stain has spurred ghosts stories and urban legends, and was the focus of research to determine if the stain was truly from Ms. Schilling’s decomposing body, or a subsequent etching of the concrete surface due to harsh cleaners that may have been used after the removal of her body. The research concluded that the chemical composition of the stain is indistinguishable from adipocere.
Worthy of note is the fact that virtually every environmental condition of the place where Ms. Schilling passed away was not conducive to adipocere formation. She was in a relatively dry location on a concrete slab floor on the 4th floor of a brick building and in aerobic conditions. However, as Zimmermann et al. point out, exhumation of remains from dry vaults have shown adipocere formation to occur when no additional external moisture is available. Because their finding that the stain was consistent with being adipocere and there was no previous report of adipocere formation on an exposed body in an indoor environment, they felt compelled to publish their findings in the scientific community.
After thorough analysis of the stain itself, as well as samples taken from the stain, using such analytical techniques as microscopic observation, infrared spectroscopy, direct insertion probe-mass spectromatry, gas chromotography/mass spectrometry, and and inductively-coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry the stain was revealed to be a waxy substance that was both on and in the pores of the concrete slab which had chemically altered the area of the slab. The study showed that the waxy substance removed from both the dark and light regions of the stain was predominantly palmitic acid, which is the most abundant fatty acid in adipocere. A comparison to man-made soap was made to rule out it being the origin of the waxy substance and the finding was that man-made soap tends to have a predominant fatty acid of lauric acid instead of palmitic acid.
The conclusions of this research were that adipocere formed from the the moisture naturally present in Ms. Schilling’s body, not by external moisture being present. Further to that, it is speculated that the calcium-rich concrete may have facilitated the formation of adipocere. This resulted in a 2 mm thick layer, in some areas, of calcium palmitate. It is important to understand that the formation of adipocere comes from the hydrolysis of triglycerides in the adipose tissue which produces saturated and unsaturated fatty acids – when the fatty acids are predominantly present as calcium salts.
There has been much discussion about the possibility that Caylee was either intentionally drowned in the family pool, accidentally drowned in the family pool, or may have been rinsed in the family pool after Casey discovered that the body was decomposing in the days just following Caylee’s murder. These discussions have centered around whether chlorine in the family pool water could have assisted in the elevated levels of chloroform detected in the trunk liner. But as search records show, the Anthony family apparently used Baquacil brand pool products which bill themselves as chlorine-free.
Is it possible that the presence of chlorine in the pool water is not near as important to the analysis of the chemical signature returned in the trunk liner or the presence of adipocere on the napkins, as calcium may be? If a calcium-rich environment can increase the formation of adipocere, could it be that the Anthony family’s pool treatment included the addition of a Baquacil product for increasing the calcium hardness in the pool? And if so, did this lead to the early formation of adipocere as Caylee lay UNBAGGED in the trunk of Casey’s car – leading to the stain that has been reported to be “in the shape of a child”. Could it be that Caylee’s body was undergoing a similar chemical reaction to that of Ms. Schilling’s body as it lay in contact with the calcium-rich concrete floor?
Just a theory, but one that should be considered when attempting to take in ALL possible scenarios.
Valhall.
References:
Analysis of suspected trace human remains from an indoor concrete surface
http://www.rssweather.com/climate/Ohio/Columbus/
http://www.ihottubonline.com/Baquacil-Calcium-Hardness-Increaser-35lbs-P208.aspx
Related posts:
- Community discussion on the formation of adipocere
- Adipocere and DNA testing
- The Trunk Liner – where some REAL Chloroform was found
- Decomposition Gases in Casey’s Trunk
- 11/06/09 Bug Report – Entomology
Tags: adipocere, baquacil, casey anthony, caylee anthony, decomposition, margaret schilling, stain in trunk
34 People have left comments on this post
“The conclusions of this research were that adipocere formed from the the moisture naturally present in Ms. Schilling’s body,”
Val
Add to that that a child’s body is comprised of a higher percentage of water than an adults ( at least according to Wiki). The percentage goes down around age 10. “Gutyon’s Textbook of Medical Physiology states that “the total amount of water in a man of average weight (70 kilograms) is approximately 40 liters, averaging 57 percent of his total body weight. In a newborn infant, this may be as high as 75 percent of the body weight, but it progressively decreases from birth to old age, most of the decrease occurring during the first 10 years of life.”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Body_water
I still couldn’t find the original articles as reference for chlorine uptake in body tissues with sustained ongoing exposure to chlorine in tap and or pool water. I remember that it does. The studies weren’t about decomp, but rather health issues. I may have posted some at Blink’s but I have no idea what thread. I suspect that it was in an unrelated thread.
Also, what is the chemical composition of a garbage bag? I know it is plastic, but does it go through any rinsing process? If so, is it likely that the water would be purified or chlorinated in some manner?
Okay, I’ll go look for old articles while I have a little time.
PS
How’d the school paper go?
WSH,
I don’t remember if I shared this or not (I know I’ve posted this on WS, but maybe not here). I got with a PhD chemist about whether the presence of chlorinated water on a decomposing body could result in higher levels of chloroform production and the chemist’s statement was that he seriously doubted it due to the efficiency with which the body, in fact, uptakes (or consumes) chloroform. Now, I did ask him “do you mean a living body?” (because this chemist is NOT in forensics – to be clear) and he said yes. I asked if the same would hold true if the metabolic functions of a living body had ceased and his response was….he’d had to think about that one.
I never got back with him on that…so I’m on the one that is remiss on following up.
My paper is going well. I’ll have it submitted by the deadline. And I will be eternally grateful for having it behind me!
Thank you for asking.
UGHH I still can’t find those studies! I went back to July 2009, maybe they are posted earlier. ( I searched threads with FIND “chlorine”
. I am not speaking of chloroform/chlorine on the body. The studies were about how exposure to chlorine could result in the body absorbing it into the tissues ( in terms of health risks). I will dabble in and out during the day to see if I can find them, and if my memory was faulty or not. I don’t remember how I did my original google search, so I haven’t been able to come up with the same studies via search engine. I’m pretty sure I posted them, but really at a loss on what thread. This is driving me nuts….or nuttier.
PS
Glad to hear about the paper!
And who knows, as you said, if the absorption would make a difference in the chemical composition with decomp.
Val,
Have you seen any info regarding the trunk stain other than the pics? I have only seen the pics which were of poor quality and I couldnt see much in them. Just wondering because it seems to me if they can get that much info from a 30 yr old stain on concrete, they should be able to tell what the trunk stain is composed of……..
so if this does go to trial will the jurors get to get up close and personal with the car trunk? I think the defense and prosecution could argue all day about the what the stain looks like and what it’s made of…but if they get to see it themselves and form their own opinion that it Was Caylee’s body that made the stain..WOW that could be some great evidence.
Still reading this, but a new one I found. Thought you could help to analyze this Val:
Ingestion, inhalation, and dermal exposures to chloroform and trichloroethene from tap water.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1469238/
Individuals are exposed to volatile compounds present in tap water by ingestion, inhalation, and dermal absorption. Traditional risk assessments for water often only consider ingestion exposure to toxic chemicals, even though showering has been shown to increase the body burden of certain chemicals due to inhalation exposure and dermal absorption. We collected and analyzed time-series samples of expired alveolar breath to evaluate changes in concentrations of volatile organic compounds being expired, which reflects the rate of change in the bloodstream due to expiration, metabolism, and absorption into tissues. Analysis of chloroform and trichloethene in expired breath, compounds regulated in water, was also used to determine uptake from tap water by each route (inhalation, ingestion, or absorption). Each route of exposure contributed to the total exposure of these compounds from daily water use. Further, the ingestion dose was completely metabolized before entering the bloodstream, whereas the dose from the other routes was dispersed throughout the body. Thus, differences in potential biologically effective doses depend on route, target organ, and whether the contaminant or metabolite is the biologically active agent.
Wow!! I feel I have been left numb. My coffee is already cold—I was so enthralled in the article.
I have always wondered why someone moved the ladder and the pool supply box over to the pool on one of the days that Casey came to the house after Caylee was deceased but not dumped yet. When the body was found, LE came almost directly to the A house and removed some pool chemicals. So, Val, your tentative theory that the assisting agent might have been calcium and not chlorine makes sense to me now based on the theory that I have had and expressed on another blog site. For some reason, I believe that Casey dumped some chemicals into the bags that she put Caylee inside…if only to attempt to mask the odor of the body. (Would not work but Casey may have hoped it would.) I have not been able to come up with another theory which justifies someone dragging the heavy and large pool supply kit over to the side of the pool. But, if you used the pool ladder to climb up and down and get pool water and you needed chemicals from the box and a flat surface on which to put the body for better bagging and technique of disposal…then you might just find such a situation as what Cindy said she found that day when she came home from work. This would all take a lot of time so that might be why this strange “set up” was abandoned in haste as soon as the body was finished and ready to dump. Maybe some indication that Cindy was approaching the home made Casey take off before she could cover her tracks completely.
Also, what is the chemical composition of a garbage bag? I know it is plastic, but does it go through any rinsing process? If so, is it likely that the water would be purified or chlorinated in some manner?
********************************************************
Just a quick thought/repsonse:
Some garbage bags are scented (as to hide the smell of the garbage). I wonder what a manufacturer would use chemically to scent a garbage bag? I hope I did not waste your time. I love, love your articles!
Val, what if pool chemicals were put directly on the decomposing body (sorry…
) or in the bag or directly on to the carpet of the trunk? I’m assuming their chlorine, etc would be in powdered form. (I remember it being taken from the A’s shed, but I don’t recall it exactly)
I didn’t see any results from the FBI of what made the stain on the trunk liner, or in the tire wheel well, and I don’t know if they were released or not, but this theory is interesting if it shows that Caylee was not initially bagged when she was placed in the trunk. I guess we’ll find that out if it’s brought out in trial.
I’m on the chair about this until I see those results because you can look up at the clouds and see a bunny rabbit, but, of course, it’s not a bunny rabbit.
Thanks, Val.
I couldn’t find the mechanism by which water cooling extrusion is accomplished, or if the water is filtered, or even if this is typically what is applied to the manufacturing of plastic garbage bags, but it does seem possible. It is used in recycling bags, at least:
http://www.tradevv.com/chinasuppliers/idealwestern/products-detail/china-full-auto-water-cooling-two-stage-pe-pp-recycling-machine-2ff45.html:
How Plastic Garbage bags and Trash Bags are Made
Plastic garbage bags or trash bags are made from low density polyethylene, which was invented in 1942.
Low density polyethylene is soft, stretchy, and water and air proof. Polyethylene is delivered in the form of small resin pellets or beads. By a process called extrusion, the hard beads are converted into bags of plastic.
The hard polyethylene beads are heated to a temperature of 200 degrees centigrade. The molten polyethylene is put under high pressure and mixed with agents that provide color and make the plastic pliable.
The prepared plastic polyethylene is blown into one long tube of bagging, which is then cooled, collapsed, cut to the right individual length, and sealed on one end to make a garbage bag or trash bag.
http://www.jobwerx.com/plastics/extrusion.htm
Blown Film
To manufacture Garbage bags, industry uses a process known as Blown Film Extrusion. This process is used to manufacture not only garbage bags but also items such as; vapor barrier, bread bags, grocery bags, or any one of thousands of different items that you would see packaged for resale.
The plastic is fed in pellet form into the machines hopper ( this machine is known as an Extruder ), the plastic is conveyed forward by a rotating screw inside a heated barrel and softened by both friction and heat. The softened plastic is then forced upwards through a circular die in a shape of a hollow tube.
This is a continuous process where the tube is expanded with air above the die, and collapsed by the take-off or nip rollors, the volume of air inside the bubble, the speed of the nip rollers and the extruders output rate all play a role in determining the thickness and size of the film.
The tube or “web” of film is then continuously rolled up by take-off rollers, or the web of film may be fed directly into a bag-machine in an in-line process. The tube is heat-sealed across its width to form the bottom of the bag and cut across further up the tube to form the opening.
Plastic Bag Making Machines | Comprehensive selection of new Poly …
… Line Monolayer Blown Film Line Multilayer Downward Water Cooling Co-Extrusion … Leading edge new Plastic Bag Making Machines by PEC Canada serving the USA, … They are capable to produce handle bags, garbage bags, zipper bags, …
http://www.peccanada.com/plastic-processing…/bag-making-machines.html – Cached
Depending on the quality of the bags utilized the stain could result even if Caylee was “bagged” in the trunk. I know that when I dispose of wet items and leave my bag on the floor for any legnth of time there results a brownish residue on my floor. I think that it is possible that Casey placed Caylee in the bag and with the resulting decomposition the integrity of the bag was also affected, especially if chemicals were added which would further deteriorate the barrier of the plastic bag.
Val, I had visited the Mutters Museum in Philadelphia. Look up the site. This museum has a soap lady. She was preserved in the museum because of the state of unnatural decomposition.Outside of the museum is an herb garden in which medicine was made before chemicals. Walking thru this 2 story building was an erie feeling along with a smell thruout. This museum was made for science research to help us understand the different human medical aspects of the human body.Some are still a Mystery to science.
Interesting. I have found that trichloroethane or trichlorobenzene (chlorinated solvents) are used in the process of manufacturing plastic wrap, I can’t find a source for garbage bags yet.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polyethylene
The melting point for average, commercial, low-density polyethylene is typically 105 to 115 °C (221 to 239 °F).For common commercial grades of medium- and high-density polyethylene the melting point is typically in the range 120 to 130 °C (248 to 266 °F).
Most LDPE, MDPE and HDPE grades have excellent chemical resistance and do not dissolve at room temperature because of their crystallinity. Polyethylene (other than cross-linked polyethylene) usually can be dissolved at elevated temperatures in aromatic hydrocarbons such as toluene or xylene, or in chlorinated solvents such as trichloroethane or trichlorobenzene.
» Serenity said: { Jan 22, 2010 – 11:01:35 }
It seems as though the bags may not melt, except at very high temps, however who knows at what temps the dyes will begin to be released from with bags, especially with moisture and weight. So you may be correct. If dyes, it would be awfully difficult to remove them, even with scrubbing.
Serenity, That is interesting! Good job. WSH good looking out for that info kudos to you 2 for a simple answer to such a complex question.Trashbag dye who woulda thought.Maybe it is correct.We shall see.
Calcium connection, if there was free calcium ions in the pool water, how does the pool product work? Won’t the calcium bind with something else in the water, eventually forming a hard ‘pool ring’? In concrete, the calcium in the form of a carbonate (?) can be released by exposure to low pH moisture. (what is the pH of an decomp?)
Isn’t there a contrast in amount of calcium available in concrete to an amount of calcium in some form in pool water (available as ions presumably from a soluable compound) that would remain on skin and in clothing when removed from the pool? What would happen to the calcium compound (whatever it is in the chlorine-free pool product) as the water evaporates and the calcium containing compound is exposed to the air? And how much would be available to react with decomp. products. Doesn’t seem that it would be a lot. What other chemicals in the suite of pool chemicals used by the Anthony’s, would be present? IE: deflocculants (I’ve never had a pool, but have heard that this is needed, I’m guessing with regular traditional chlorine chemicals).
There would be a huge contrast in the amount of calcium in the very alkaline cement and the adult body was exposed to the cement directly for a period of time. Much higher exposure to alkali to free the calcium which would then turn into a product much like soap skum on a bathtub where there is hard water?
(another note, no one would have cleaned the car with ‘soap’ would they? VS ‘detergents’ or other non-soap cleaning products?)
I am a surgical registered nurse and no stranger to death unfortunately….however I think I have displayed more sorrow after losing a patient than I have seen from these “eraser” killers. I fear we may never know what happened to Caylee. Unfortunately, being a narcissistic sociopath seems to be in direct conflict with the humility required to show remorse and account for their crimes. It took me awhile to fully comprehend that Casey willfully ended the life of her daughter and now with that understanding I find myself open to multiple venues she availed herself of to hide her crime. I do not think that Casey is the educated intelligent person she wishes to portray, hence the numerous inconsistencies and errors in her actions. Casey and those like her are a sad plague upon us and I don’t believe they are rehabilitable. One cannot undue their warped sense of entitlement. If they were able to recover they would come forth and tell the truth.
http://74.125.93.132/search?q=cache:sWRTmmEQWiwJ:www.ouc.com/Libraries/water_business_documents/wqr-2006.sflb.ashx+ouc+water+report+calcium&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us&client=firefox-a
2006 water report:
Water hardness (calcium & magnesium) OUC’s water ranges in hardness from “moderately hard” at 133 ppm in the downtown area to “hard” at 179 ppm in the southeast or Lake Nona area.
Once again, you knock it out of the park with science!!
Val,
I don’t know if my theory about tap will “hold any water” (sorry bad pun)! Apparently, Orlando is using Ozone in water RX. However, they still use chlorine, I don’t know how the % compares to other areas in the country. ( But these articles make me want to get a shower water filter!)
I do know from another article (which I won’t post) that children are more susceptible to absorption of environmental toxins vs adults, especially in the brain and lungs. Also, it appears that the Orlando city water is pretty hard and full of calcium, so I don’t know that a water hardener would be needed in the pool. Of course, some people still have private wells as a source of water in FL, so I don’t even know if any of this figures in.
Still, it could have been chloroform used , cleaning products used, brakdown of the chemicals in the garbage bags or the trunk liner…Ahh
OUC Water Services
Using Ozone To Produce Great-Tasting Water
OUC uses an advanced ozone treatment process to produce its great-tasting tap water – proudly called H2OUC
Ozone offers several advantages. As a strong oxidant, ozone removes hydrogen sulfide (a naturally occurring compound that can create an unpleasant taste and odor) and leaves the water with a fresh taste and sparkling appearance. As a powerful disinfectant, ozone greatly reduces the amount of chlorine we have to add to the water, which improves the taste even more.
To prove that H2OUC is of exceptional quality, we compared our water-quality test results with those of four popular bottled brands. As we expected, OUC’s water met or surpassed the bottled brands in virtually every aspect.
Most important of all, our customers are happier with their water, according to a survey conducted by an independent research firm. Of the respondents who said they noticed a change in the quality of OUC water, most (76 percent) cited improvements in taste.
Facts About H2OUC
OUC provides water service to residents and businesses within the City of Orlando and portions of Orange County.
Water provided by OUC is drawn from the lower Floridan Aquifer and meets or exceeds all standards set by the Safe Drinking Water Act.
Since 1995, OUC has converted all of its water plants to ozone treatment and built two new ozone plants. As part of the process, OUC abandoned five older plants, replaced more than 12 miles of older water pipelines, and installed a sophisticated computer system that enables OUC personnel to operate all water plants from a single location.
By treating its water with ozone, a strong but safe disinfectant, OUC dramatically reduces the use of chlorine in its water system and removes hydrogen sulfide, a naturally occurring compound that can create an unpleasant taste and odor in water. The result is tap water that tastes so good it bears the company’s name – H2OUC……
Kleat….soap vs detergent…I call everything soap, so it may be a matter of semantics.
WSH,
I just wanted to give a BIG THANK YOU for all the hard research you’ve done today and shared. You’ve given us LOADS of information to read through and digest. Much appreciated!
Dear Valhall,
Since this is my first post here: thank you ever so much for your candid, instructive, thorough, outstanding. and altogether awesome blog!
Then, though I’ve followed this case closely, I didn’t have time to study all of the doc dumps, and am therefore not nearly as entitled to give an opinion as most of the people who post here. Moreover, my opinions have, from the beginning, been at variance with what I’ve read on the boards. For example, after the bond hearing I thought for quite some time that this was just another Shannon Matthews case, and that the whole A. family was in on it (I’m still mourning the fact that I was wrong there … it implied Caylee being safe and well, and resurfacing after the reward money amounted to an unprecedented height). And I’m still thinking that, if there really was a Cindy trying to choke Casey fight on the evening of June, 15, then people might well get wrong what was cause, and what was consequence: it might not have been Casey killing Caylee, because Cindy had tried to choke her, but … Cindy trying to choke Casey, because Casey had killed Caylee.
Of one thing I’m certain. If the duct tape was indeed the murder weapon, then the murder happened inside the Anthony residence. I can’t imagine that Casey had that roll of duct tape just lying around in her car, to come in handy when — out of sudden rage — she decided to get rid of Caylee. At least, she would have had to collect that duct tape beforehand, which would once again point at premeditation.
Sorry for the rambling. The reason why I brought myself to post here, is one — possibly very naive — question. Why is that formation of adipocere such a huge problem? Since I’m not that familiar with the ins and outs of the case, the answer seems shockingly easy to me.
Somewhere in Orlando, there stands a lonely freezer…
adipocere…I’m sorry, I haven’t had time to read all the comments yet nor have I reasearched this, but this has been nagging me for quite awhile. Val, was there adipocere on the paper towels because Casey was wiping it up or did adipocere form on the towels Casey had used to wipe up some decomp? I’m sorry folks if this has been discussed before. For some reason this question has really been bothering me and I think the answer is important. Feel free to direct me to further education links, I have some time now.
exactly questionmark…
..that’s what i have always thought everyone/the jurors would see immediatley.
..”special” henkel duct tape—–found in the anthony garage/on the “caylee posters”——AND on the tiny remains found in the woods.
..even if casey was to admit to it today—-an accident——-the TAPE blows that “accident” possibility all away…
..the duct tape over the nose/mouth of caylee—–whether the tape came from the garage or caseys car—–it IS the henkel/anthony tape—-and it took premeditation to put it there/use it.
..my opinion—-and i happen to agree with it.
Questionmark — There was a freezer in the Anthony’s garage.
“it might not have been Casey killing Caylee, because Cindy had tried to choke her, but … Cindy trying to choke Casey, because Casey had killed Caylee.”
-AND-
“Somewhere in Orlando, there stands a lonely freezer…”
Questionmark – Bet you’re a mystery writer. Fascinating.
If this is here already, please, delete:
1. http://www.astm.org/JOURNALS/FORENSIC/PAGES/JFS4630609.htm Abstract The accurate determination of postmortem interval (PMI) using the formation of adipocere presents a significant challenge to forensic scientists interested in determining the time of death. Several attempts have been made to determine the time since the occurrence of death. However, up to date, this has been difficult because previous approaches have been mainly qualitative, focusing on the later stages of degradation processes. This work presents preliminary results of an experimental model of postmortem adipocere formation using liquid chromatography. Three pig cadavers were submerged in distilled water, chlorinated water, and saline water. Fresh specimens resulting from the degradation in the subcutaneous fat were obtained from the pigs at two-week intervals for a period of ten weeks, and were subjected to chromatographic analysis. By correlating the ratio of the disappearance of hydrolyzed fatty acids with the formation of hydroxystearic and oxostearic acids after death, a simple, quantitative analytical method was developed for the determination of PMI. Experimental observation of the chemistry of adipocere formation indicated that adipocere can be formed only a few hours after an incidence of death and this continues until the saturation of oleic acid degradation after several weeks. Different time courses were obtained for cadavers immersed in distilled, chlorinated, and saline water, respectively. This work has not in any way solved the time since death problem. But it may be an approach to the problem that has not been adequately explored. J Forensic Sci. 1993 Jan;38(1):91-3. Experimental observations on adipocere formation. Mellen PF, Lowry MA, Micozzi MS. National Museum of Health and Medicine, Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, Washington, DC. Adipocere, “grave wax,” is a waxy or greasy decomposition product formed by hydrolysis and hydrogenation of tissue fats. Once formed, it appears stable for extended periods. Adipocere has generally been considered to result from bacterial action, commonly in warm, damp, anaerobic environments. However, its frequency, rate of formation, factors affecting its formation and physical characteristics are not well defined. To study the frequency, time course, and effects of temperature and clothing on adipocere formation, we submerged human adipose tissue samples in aquaria under controlled conditions and conducted serial observations. Adipocere formed with high frequency, within a few months, in tissues submerged in warm tap water; similar changes took longer, 12 to 18 months in cold water submersion. Presence of clothing over the tissue appeared to accelerate adipocere formation. PMID: 8426163 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
westsidehudson says: November 6, 2009 at 9:34 am Importance to forensic entomology:Megaselia scalaris http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Megaselia_scalaris Megaselia scalaris are important in the study of forensic entomology because evidence derived from the lifecycle and behavior of these flies is useful in both medicocriminal and abuse/neglect cases and is admissible in court. Megaselia scalaris are small in size; this allows them to locate carrion buried within the ground and to locate bodies concealed in coffins.[11] They can travel 0.5 m in a four day period.[11] They lay their eggs on carrion to provide food for the hatched larvae. Often, Megaselia scalaris may be the only forensic entomological evidence available if the carrion is obstructed or concealed in a place that is hard for other insects to reach.[12] Larger flies are not always able to reach the carrion. Calculations involving “M. scalaris” can result in an insect colonization time that can be used for a postmortem interval, which may help establish an estimated time of death.[12] M. scalaris are classified in a secondary forensic role because they prefer older decaying carrion.[12]
WOW thanks WSH! I so appreciate you taking the time
Hi,
I’m new here. Very informative reading. Detailed and carefully thought out. I’ve enjoyed reading how you have pieced the evidence together so far.
I’ve always wondered if Casey knocked out Caylee, then purposely drowned her in the pool? In a panic forgetting to put the ladder away or closing the gate?
Then quickly putting Caylee in the laundry bag and into the trunk. As the smell got worse and the fluids began to create a mess Casey backed into the garage, put Caylee (still in the laundry bag) in her play house, then her sand box till she was able to get her into two trash bags. The sand wouldn’t need to be cleaned off thats why Casey changed her mind and quickly moved Caylee from the toy house to the sand box. It was also then Casey put the duck tape over her face to prevent more fluids from leaking? I wonder if the two trash bags and duck tape came later in an attempt to avoid a mess and hide the growing smell? And if that’s why the cadaver dogs hit on the toy house and sand box? The shovel could have been used to move the sand around and mix it up better? Just a thought?
I also totally agree with Casey in a bit of a panic when she noticed the car gone and the constant calls from Cindy. Her seeing Caylee early morning on the 2nd in a horrible scene caused her nightmares and also why she kept driving by the house to see if anything “Odd” was going on? It’s my opinion the prosecution has a much stronger case than anyone is giving them credit for at this point. I believe Casey will be found guilty beyond ANY doubt.
Justice For Caylee