Yup, I'd Say He's Dead All Right: Algor, Livor, and Rigor for Writers

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Grave (Photo credit: howzey)

WARNING - this article contains photos of bodies that might be considered graphic or disturbing. Please be aware of your comfort level before reading his post.

Excerpt - CHAIN LYNX

     "Wilson wanted to make sure that he was long gone, and the body was in bad shape when it was found?”
     Deep snorted. “Bad shape, that’s an understatement.”

     “How so?” I asked.

     “It didn’t take the week to find the corpse. The heat in his motel room was on full blast, and they smelled the body from the lobby.”

     “Oh, Gross!”

     Deep waggled his brow. “I’m glad it wasn’t my job to pour him into a bag."

                                                                            ***
 
Here's a Video Quick Study (6:11) which humorously goes through the normal steps of what happens from death to interment.

Death is not a pretty sight. It doesn't resemble the Hollywood and television deaths or the deaths often portrayed in literature. There is a series of events that take place. Before we take a quick look at three aspect of decomposition -- algor, livor, and rigor -- let me just address three little sniggly bits. 

1. Urine and Feces - Urine and feces will only leave the body if the bladder or bowl was full.
    The sphincter muscles containing the waste matter relaxes, as do all of the muscles, no longer holding the
     contents inside. If the person has been in the process of dying over many days then they probably have
     not eaten or been hydrated and there is nothing to evacuate. If it is a sudden death, but the person has
     just relieved themselves, they will not eliminate at death.

   "The woman’s lifeless body collapsed like a heap of dirty laundry in front of the door. Urine pooled out from under her." ~ Missing Lynx

Eye death (Photo credit: @Doug88888)

2. They close their eyes -Closing one's eyes, as well as

     holding the mouth/jaw shut requires engaged  muscles. At

     death the eyelids will be half open and the jaw will be open

     and off-side. According to my daughter who is a telemetry

     nurse, the mouth slacks and drifts to the side.  
3. Frequently as death approaches the individual will go into a 
    coma or a coma-like state or they become agitated and 
    delusional. From speaking with nurses and hospice workers,
    there is no last second confessional. They go into a state of
    flux, and they expire.

Death is the cessation of all metabolic activity and functions.
1. Legal death can be reversed.
2. Biological death cannot be reversed.

WHAT DOES OCCUR POST MORTEM? How long has this person been dead?

* Breakdown happens because of the lack of body function and an increase in bacteria
   (and other organisms such as bugs).
*  How quickly the body breaks down is largely a function of temperature. 
*  The colder the temperature the slower the chemical changes that breakdown organic matter.
    The cold temperatures also retard organisms such as bacteria and bugs

Video Quick Study (1:08) 5,000 yr old man found frozen in a glacier. The body is amazingly intact.

These changes overlap in time:

1 Algor Mortis - 

Photo credit: Wikipedia)

NO! That's Al Gore. We're talking about ALGOR mortis when the dead body cools. 
   * The body loses 2 degrees C. in the first 2 hours and approximately
      1 degree per hour after that. How cool the body gets depends on the ambient temperature.
   * Glaister Equation.Link to formula This is most accurate in a temperature controlled environment.
   * The fatter you are the more you store heat (faster decomposition)
   * Temperature of the body at death also increases decomostion. Did they have a fever? Had they just run
       a marathon?
   * Clothing - More clothes trap more heat.
   * Ambient temperature
      Video Quick Study (5:09)
  

2. Rigor Mortis - 
   * Rigor mortis first appears approximately 1-2 hours after death. 
   * Progressive stiffening occurs for approximately 12 hours,
      persists for approximately 12 hours, then
      diminishes over the next 12 hours as tissues break down as a
      result of autolysis and putrefaction.LINK
   * Because rigor mortis is a chemical reaction to ATP and has to
      do with shortening the muscle, it is
       interesting to note that in someone who has been physically
       active - fighting or running over a period of
       time - the rigor mortis will set in more quickly.

Video Quick Study (0:48) the difference between cold stiffening and rigor mortis
Video Quick Study (3:10) talking about Michael Jackson and rigor mortis

Livor mortis Deutsch: Totenflecke (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

3. Livor Mortis - 
   * There is no longer a functioning circulatory system so
      the blood settles where gravity takes it and is seen
      as purplish on the surface of the skin.
   * If an object is laying below the body, such as a
      weapon, it could show up as a lighter spot on the
      tissue.
   * Darker skin makes this harder to see.
   * This takes place for about 8 hours. After 8 hours the
       blood no longer moves even if the body is turned
       over.
   * Skin color might provide information about the cause
      of death. For example cherry red is associated with
      carbon monoxyde poisoning and pink is an indicator
      for cyanide.
   *  Marbling may develop with the delineation of the
       vasculature as a result of the reaction of hydrogen
       sulfide produced by bacteria with hemoglobin from the
       lysis of erythrocytes, as shown below. LINK

Marbling outlines the vasculature in this decedent as the postmortem interval lengthens.
 4. As the body continues to decompose
    * bacteria increases and produces a gas. 
    * The body might bloat from the gases esp. in the abdomen. It 
       can bloat to the point of bursting. This
       bloating brings bodies to the surface of the water if the person
       drowned or a body was dumped. According to Cookie, a 
       recovery diver who spoke to us at the WPA, the body will float
       around the seventh day and will descend again once the fish,
       birds, etc. who are eating the body poke a hole in the
       tissue allowing the gases to escape. 

See how this article influenced my plot lines in my novella MINE and my novel CHAOS IS COME AGAIN.

Fiona Quinn's Newsletter Link, Sign up HERE

Thank you so much for stopping by. And thank you for your support. When you buy my books, you make it possible for me to continue to bring you helpful articles and keep ThrillWriting free and accessible to all.

Mass Killers: An Interview with Retired Secret Service Agent Mike Roche

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I had the pleasure of meeting and learning from retired

Secret Service Agent, Mike Roche at this year's

Writers' Police Academy.

Fiona - 
Mike, would you introduce yourself to my readers and tell us about your background?

Mike - 
I spent 33 years in law enforcement. I was local cop, ATF and the last 20 with the Secret Service. Now, I am a writer and college instructor on Mass Killers.

Fiona - 
Mass killers! They have a whole course on that? I'd love to take that class. What kinds of topics does that cover?

 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Mike - 
I am a travelling adjunct. That is, I travel to the 13 campuses across the country for St. Leo University and teach an 8 hour class. The class focuses on the mindset of those who engage in mass killings at schools, workplaces, homes, and public places. The class also helps those who conduct behavioral threat assessments to identify those    individuals displaying warning signs before the guns come out.

Fiona - 
Yup - I definitely want to take this class. Let's go back and talk about your stint as a Secret Service Agent. How many presidents did you serve? And were you there when Reagan was shot?  (Just kidding, I know you're too young for that.)

US Air Force VC-25(92-9000) "AirForce-One" (Photo credit: Kentaro IEMOTO@Tokyo)

Mike - 
I was there from 1990 to 2012. I served four. We also protected all of the former living presidents and their spouses.

Fiona -
You are given parameters about what you can and cannot say about your interactions with the people you are protecting. In several books I've read, I thought too much was disclosed and so the plot felt contrived. Can you tell us writers what is allowed to be shared?

Mike - You never want to disclose anything that could compromise security or concerning the conversations and observations with       those that you are honored to protect. We have to maintain and develop trust with the protectee and their family. We would destroy our credibility disclosing our insights to the media or in books.

Fiona - 
Since I can't ask you if the presidents drool when they sleep, I'll ask you to tell me about your favorite scar.

Mike - Scar on me?

Fiona - Yes, please - you were warned. This is a question I ask in all of my interviews.

Mike - I have two on top of each other. On my forehead. The first happened when I was trying to tackle an auto burglar, and he hit me with a speaker he stole from a car. Then a piece of equipment from my home gym broke loose and hit me in the head. My daughter said that I looked like Harry Potter.

Fiona - I went back to your picture and blew it up to full screen. She's right. Very nice! Did it give you magical powers?

Amazon Link Click HERE

Mike - Not magical powers but the hits in the head explains why I am so fluent in Crazy!

Fiona - Bahaha! Thank you for sharing. Okay, you said that you have turned now to teaching and writing. I have to say you are fearless. You write non-fiction and fiction, YA and adult, and iterestingly, in the book I just finished, The Blue Monster, you chose a female hero.

Can you tell me why you chose to write from a woman's POV? (Very successfully, I might add.)

Mike - I am the lone male under my roof. I wanted to portray a    strong independent female as a role model for my daughters. In addition, it was my tribute to all of my female partners over       the years that helped to keep me alive. Female cops have to      overcome a great deal in a male dominated field. I was privileged to have some great female partners. Many of them that I am still friends with.

          

Thank you for the praise on Detective Kate Alexander in the Blue Monster. That means a great deal to me.

Fiona - 
My pleasure. Yes, the insight was very

interesting and yet never tipped over the top of martyrdom.

To me, one of the most intriguing parts of the book was the use of hypnotism. Have you ever had  the occasion to use that technique for memory retrieval in your crime-stopping career?

Mike - 
Once, when I was with ATF. We used hypnosis on a sales clerk at a Wal-Mart, who had sold some supplies to an arsonist of a bar in Louisiana. Under hypnosis, she was able to recall in detail the sale.  I took her to a police sketch artist. (sketch artist post)

A suspect was identified through that developed           information. I was skeptical at

first, but I became a believer

after that experience.

Fiona - 
How cool is that?! Have you ever been hypnotized?

Mike - 
Only at a Vegas show. I crowed like a rooster. No, just kidding. I have not.

Fiona - 
*Snicker. I would have paid good money to see that. You have a new book out this week. Congratulations! Can you tell us a bit about your newest?

Mike - 
The book is Mass Killers: How You Can Identify, Workplace, School, or Public Killers Before They Strike. The book is based on the 8-hour class that I teach. There are a number of myths concerning mass killers. I hope the book will help to educate those that want to learn about the subject and become more informed. I am a student of life myself, and I am always looking to learn.

Fiona - 
Well now see I DO get to take your class. How awesome is that? Are you using this as your text book?

Mike - 
No. The book is optional. I hope that those in the class, as well as other attendees at my public speaking engagements at conferences and businesses will be intrigued enough to obtain the book to         enhance their knowledge. Hint - Buy the book! 

Fiona - 
Yes, sir! (NOTE: Since this interview, I had the opportunity of reviewing MASS KILLERS. It is chock full of useful information for writers - mind sets, strategies, and little details that will make 

 your plot authentic. Hint - your killer should have a copy of Catcher in the Rye on his night stand.)  CLICK THIS LINK to go to a info-graphic with some startling mass killer numbers/information.

            

You know that here in ThrillWriting we like to help writers write it right. Can you offer us any details that every secret service agent knows but the public doesn't? Do you have a secret handshake,

tattoo, or name that you use amongst yourselves? Are there any habits that you develop that a writer could sprinkle in to give authenticity to their work? (See I'm asking for secrets again - while you think about this, just look deeply into the computer image I'm sending you. You are feeling very relaxed... you are getting sleepy....)

Mike - 
As long as I don't start barking like a dog. We are all regular folks with the assortment of personal issues and challenges. We tend to be Type A personalities. We are mostly organized and mission oriented while striving for some balance with our families. There is a great deal of travel with long days. We wear sunglasses to protect our eyes from the sun. The microphone for the radio, I attached to my breast pocket as opposed to my sleeve.

          

When it comes to fiction writing, the writer needs to ensure they have researched a topic and strive for accuracy, but keep in mind, it is fiction. You have to target a balance. If a reader desires more

realism, then they can read true crime. Have fun with your fictional characters and enjoy the process.

Fiona - 
I love that about striking a balance! You're the first to say it on my blog. I recently read a book by a cop about cops (fiction); it is very accurate and does not translate well to the general public, in my opinion. She would do better to temper the realism.

Mike - 
I was reading a book by Lee Childs that had a Secret Service angle. Lee was worried when I told him that I was reading it. I told him, hey it's fiction and Jack Reacher! He seemed relieved and agreed.

Fiona - 
It's wonderful that he would care. Mr. Childs just rose in my esteem. Well, sadly, our hour is up and I have so many more questions! Quickly, because I know I'm on borrowed time, can you tell us about your communications book, Face 2 Face?

Mike - 
Sure, Face 2 Face: Observing, Interviewing and Rapport Building Skills: an ex-Secret Service Agent's Guide is a book that focuses on helping people connect with each other through interpersonal communications and rapport building. Those aspects really helped my career.

Amazon link click HERE

Fiona - 
After I'm done reading Face 2 Face  will you come back for another interview?

Amazon LINK

Amazon link click HERE

Mike - I would love to come back! Thank you for asking me!

Fiona - 

If you have any questions for either Mike or me, please leave them below, and we will do our best to help.

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Thank you so much for stopping by. And thank you for your support. When you buy my books, you make it possible for me to continue to bring you helpful articles and keep ThrillWriting free and accessible to all.

Crime Scene 101 for Writers: Decisions. Decisions.

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 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I just finished reading Mike Roche's book, THE BLUE MONSTER. It was a wonderful window into urban police investigation. One of the things that I appreciated about the book was understanding how individual competencies in processing a crime scene can make all of the difference in bringing a perpetrator to justice.

To this end, I thought that this week on the blog we could look at some decisions that writers can make and different points at which things can go well, or a writer could twist the plot.

WRITERS' DECISION MAKING

STEP ONE -  Is it safe to go on the scene?

1. Do you have a hazardous environment called a HOT ZONE?
   A  Hot zones can be created by
       * natural disaster - such as Tsunamis in Japan, floods, fires, and storms
       * mass disasters - such as terrorism
       * crimes - like the anthrax filled envelopes through U.S. Postal Service
       * accidents
   B. Hot zones might include
      * nerve gas
      * radioactive materials
      * nuclear threat
      * chemicals creating toxic and/or combustible threats
      * bio-hazards such as pathogens, venom, and parasites along
         with other disease causing organisms

2. Is the bad guy still on the scene?

3. Did they plant booby-traps or bombs Link to bombs article


STEP TWO - Will the first response team get there in time?
* To save the victim(s)?
* To save the house?
* And in their attempts to preserve life and/or preserve property
   will they damage the evidence to
   make it harder to solve the crime?


STEP THREE - How effective will your First Responders be when they contain and secure the scene?

. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

* Only someone with a good reason to be at the crime
   scene is allowed in the area - this precludes the media,
   the family, and PI's. In Janet Evanovich's books
   Stephanie Plum really can't just walk in and look
   around because she happens to be doing Morelli.
* Others who might contaminate your scene and
    twist your plot might include looters and bystanders
* An officer has to stand at the entrance of the scene
   and log in everyone who enters and exits the police
   tape including the precise times when they entered and
   exited.
* Others who enter a crime scene can introduce
   Finger prints Link to finger print article
   Foot prints Link to footwear article
   Hair
   DNA Link to DNA 101 article
   Tire prints

Now this might be a good place to talk about Locard's Exchange Principle:

Whenever someone moves throughout an environment there will be an exchange of materials.
* A person will pick up materials such as animal hair, dirt, and fibers and take them away with them.
* A person will leave trace evidence showing that they were there - fingerprints, hair strands, DNA from spit
   or blood.
* The longer that two people are in contact and the more intense their exchange the more trace evidence will
    be left in place.

Imposing Lokard's Theories there will be a transference. This is why any superfluous people need to be kept from the scene.
* When extra information is introduced it slows the process and creates extra work for the investigators
   because they have to sort through all of the data.

Another reason to keep others at a distance:
* Public access has to be restricted so that someone with a cellphone etc. won't be releasing information
   to the public.
* The police typically only release information that is critical to identifying the perpetrator.
* They keep the rest quiet so they can monitor the story.
   For example, in interrogation Link to Interrogation article a suspect lets slip a piece of information that
   only the perpetrator or someone who had seen the scene would know. This is a big piece of evidence
* This also helps prevent copy cat cases because the full MO has not been revealed. Maybe that's just what
   your plot needs.

A Crime Scene at the National Museum of Crime & Punishment (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

STEP FOUR : How competent are your investigators in gathering and processing evidence?

VIDEO QUICK STUDY (11:41) good overview poor sound quality.
VIDEO QUICK STUDY (25:52) A little long but this is the process from the military (US Army)

* Proper warrants are obtained (a property owner can give consent for searches)
* A search strategy is developed by the officer in charge
   This prevents the crime techs from damaging or overlooking evidence
   This usually happens before the investigators enter a scene. Everything must be considered even the spatial
   relationships of objects, blood spatter patterns etc.
* There are four main types of searches -

English: Footwear impressions left at a crime scene. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

   line search 
   circular (or spiral) search 
   serpentine search 
   funnel search
* Evidence is identified -
   1 Trace Evidence - (also called Micro-evidence)
      tiny pieces like sand, saliva, latent prints.
   2 Real Evidence  (also called Tangible Evidence
     and Macro Evidence)-  physical objects
      that inform a case or played a part in the incident.
 * Everything in the area is potential evidence
 * Assumptions are made prior to scientific analysis -
    Is it blood? Is it cocaine?
 * Field Tests are conducted (like blood swabs)
 * Pattern Evidence - Helps to understand the scene.
     This is protected with photography (digital and
      video) VIDEO QUICK STUDY (5:39)
   * Maps are created
   * Measurements of all pertinent pieces of evidence
      are documented.
   * All objects are measured from one set
      point called a datum. 
   *This is sometimes done with
     portable computerized mapping systems called
     Total Station Serving Systems
   
VIDEO QUICK STUDY  (9:51) excellent lecture on evidence collection. Shows process and equipment in use.
*Macro search
   1. hunt and peck
   2. flashlight
   3. alternate light Link to alternative light article go to
                         second half
   4. taping
* Micro Search
    1. vacuum
    2. fingerprinting
    3. using chemical solutions (such as BlueStar or Luminol)
    4. swabs


STEP FIVE - Did your responders process everything correctly so that it is useful in making a case and also permissible in court?

* Documentation
   `Crime Scene inventory list is created identifying each marker
   ` Chain of custody list
* Preservation
* Transportation of evidence

STEP SIX - The investigators hand the evidence over to the scientists and a whole new set of complications can twist your plot. Have fun!

See how this article influenced my plot lines in my novella MINE and my novel CHAOS IS COME AGAIN.

Fiona Quinn's Newsletter Link, Sign up HERE

Thank you so much for stopping by. And thank you for your support. When you buy my books, you make it possible for me to continue to bring you helpful articles and keep ThrillWriting free and accessible to all.

Bomb Squads 101 Information for Writers

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(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

EXCERPT FROM MISSING LYNX - Book Two

We watched the monitor closely; the robot stood flush with the case. A pincer reached out to twirl the locking system, using the combination that I had uncovered while behind the Veil. The mechanical arm moved with amazing dexterity, slowly releasing the catch, retrieving the papers and files. Axel wiggled the toggle and the robot zipped back to us with the booty. Again Axel maneuvered the machine to the case. The robot sent a video image to our laptop; I studied the screen until I could show Axel where the concealed latch protected the hidden compartment. We all held our breath while Axel maneuvered the motorized claw to release the hook. 

***

The following information was gathered from bomb squad members that I met at this year's Writers' Police Academy. Because of their undercover work, neither their names nor images can be used in this article. A bomb squad member is also called an EOD (Explosive Ordinance Disposal) Technician. All EOD Techs come through the Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama where they undergo an intensive 6 week training session.
* There are at least two people per responding team.
* Typically this team prefers nine members
* On this team, the EOD techs have other police duties and leave those duties to respond to bomb threats.

The Suit

Bomb Protective Suit is a little bit of a misnomer. Though it can help; it will not actually keep someone alive under all circumstances. What makes a difference in survivability?
* How close is the officer?
* How big is the blast? The concussion of the blast can be as deadly as the shrapnel.
* At five feet from the bomb survivability increases by 50%

I am all suited up at the Writers' Police Academy 2013

I'd explain this to you, but then I'd...  EOD Suit WPA 2013

 VIDEO QUICK STUDY - suit and safety features (2:54)
THE SUIT

*Is made of various materials including Kevlar to prevent penetration and ceramic plates to help disperse the

Suit Components WPA 2012

  blast concussion.
* Cost? aprox 75k
* The suit weighs approximately 85-100 lbs.
   35 lbs for the trousers
   35 lbs. for the jacket
   8 lbs. for the helmet
   And boots.
   This suits allows little in the way of dexterity and
    agility. More armor might increase protection 
    but make movement impossible.
   (Though this guy is going to prove me wrong: VIDEO QUICK STUDY - dancing in a EOD suit 2:17)
   * The helmet includes a fan unit to help prevent  humidity from building up inside of the visor. But
      does not cool the person inside.
   * The suit has no cooling unit - considering the  weight of the suit, the body response to adrenaline and 
       physical activity, and the ambient temperature a bomb technician has about a twenty minute window
       of operational opportunity. 
   * If there is a possibility of a contaminant or bio-hazard, the team members have access to special suits
      that incorporate oxygen tanks (SCBA Self-contained Breathing Apparatus). These tanks add to the
      weight and loss of agility. These usually have about 45 minutes of air. That time period must include time 
      to "decon" (decontaminate).

TOOLS-
VIDEO QUICK STUDY - Tools in use (3:53)
1. Telescopic manipulator - has a claw allowing a technician to work from a safer distance.
2. Ordinance disposal tools - the one we saw was approx. 35 lbs and could shoot the bomb. Also, there
    are:
   * robots with hooks, arms, car door openers, etc.
   * water jet disruptors

A Belgian Malinois of a police K-9 unit. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

   * laser aiming devices, and so forth.
3. Remote viewing systems that might include
  * Borescopes
  * Videoscopes
  * Fiberscopes
  * X-ray technology 
4. Disruptors - can open up the package.
5. Bomb Detection Dogs
    VIDEO QUICK STUDY (2:32) 
   * Dogs are typically taught to sit or lie down when
      they detect the scent.
   * Typically they are rewarded with a ball
   * Dogs are trained to the base component of
      explosives. Once they have these components
      any combination will trigger an alert. Dogs smell
      differently than humans if a human smells "stew," a
       dog  smells carrots, and beef and onion, etc.

WPA 2013 That's my scary  backpack.
 I named the robot  "Molly," because she needed a name.

6. Robots - 
   * Cost? Approx 125K and up
   * Depending on model, these are around 44 lbs.
   * VIDEO QUICK STUDY (3:41) 
     THIS IS EXCELLENT
   * Major issue is depth perception. That's
      why these techs practice, practice,
      practice.
   * Information is transmitted via wireless to
      the  HAZMAT truck

ASSESS, ASSESS, ASSESS
Video Quick Study British EOD Tech talking about the "Long Walk" and assessment  (2:38)
For a bomb to go off there need to be three components:

1. Battery

2. Switch

3. High Explosive Charge

Disrupt any of these and you render the bomb inoperable.

Basic Techniques

(Techniques are kept secret so as not to train the attacker in better ways to succeed)
VIDEO QUICK STUDY - Suspicious Package Investigation (9:02)
1. Determine that there is a possible event. In the case of the technicians I was interviewing, most of their
    calls come from people who have found dynamite, or war souvenirs (WWII from granddad) and not
    from actual concerns about a bomb.

WPA 2013 Bomb Extraction Truck

2. Bring in the team and their trucks
   * Mobile Headquarters with gear also called
      HAZMAT Truck
   * Containment Truck
   * EMTs and fire
3. Clear the area to ensure the public's safety
   * Set up equipment this might include tenting if
      they believe bio-hazardous materials were
      used.
4. Suit up
5. Develop intelligence
   * They cannot use radio communication because it could set off the bomb.
6. Formulate a plan
7. Work the plan and leave.
   * If they are exploding something they yell, "FIRE IN THE HOLE!" three times.
   * Exploding the object is called "disrupting the device."
   * Counter Charge - means to put another explosive device on top of the suspected bomb and blow it up
   * Video Quick Study (4:50)

Fiona Quinn's Newsletter Link, Sign up HERE

Thank you so much for stopping by. And thank you for your support. When you buy my books, you make it possible for me to continue to bring you helpful articles and keep ThrillWriting free and accessible to all.