FORENSIC ENTOMOLOGY

IN RELATION TO EXTRA
JUDICIAL KILLINGS
REPORTERS:
ABANDO, ANN MARGARETTE
BARCELONA, ANIWAY L.
PALAPOZ, KAYCE
Entomology is the
Study of Insects
FORENSIC
ENTOMOLOGY

Maggots and Time of Death Estimation

What is Forensic Entomology?

Forensic Entomology is the

use of the insects and other
arthropods that feed on
decaying remains to aid legal
investigations.
Forensic entomology is the
application of the study of
insects and other arthropods
to legal issues, especially in
a court of law.
 Although forensic entomology includes
several categories, the type that we will be
talking about is medicolegal forensic
entomology. It deals with arthropod
involvement in events surrounding felonies,
usually violent crimes such as murder, suicide,
and rape but also includes other violations
such as physical abuse and contraband
trafficking. A more accurate name for this
category is medicocriminal forensic
entomology.
The most common application of the
medicocriminal category is related to death
investigations such as the Extra Judicial
Killings.

Key elements in these investigations,

such as:
1.) time since death (that is the time between
death and corpse discovery, which is
generally referred to as the postmortem
interval or PMI),
2.) movement of the corpse,
3.) manner and cause of death associated of
suspects with the death scene, as well as
4.) detection of toxins or drugs through
analysis of insect larvae, may all relate to
Medicolegal Forensic Entomology

 Use to ;
Determination of the time (postmortem
interval or PMI) or site of human death
based on identification of arthropods
collected from or near corpses.
Traffic accidents with no immediately
obvious cause
Possible criminal misuse of insects
 What do they do?
Forensic entomologists apply their knowledge of entomology to
provide information for criminal investigations.

A forensic entomologist’s job may include:

• Identification of insects at various stages of their life cycle, such as

eggs, larva, and adults.

• Collection and preservation of insects as evidence.

• Determining an estimate for the postmortem interval or PMI (the

time between death and the discovery of the body) using factors
such as insect evidence, weather conditions, location and condition
of the body, etc.

• Testifying in court to explain insect-related evidence found at a

crime scene.
 Insects as Evidence
Forensic entomologists use their knowledge of
insects and their life cycles and behaviors to give
them clues about a crime.
Blow Fly
Most insects used in investigations are in two major
Carrion Beetle
orders:
1 – Flies (Diptera) and
2 – Beetles (Coleoptera)
Species succession may also
provide clues for investigators.
Some species may to feed on
a fresh corpse, while another
species may prefer to feed on
one that has been dead for
two weeks. Investigators will
also find other insect species
that prey on the insects
feeding on the corpse.

Images: Top Right - http://www.insectinvestigations.com/aboutfe.htm, Chart - http://www.clt.uwa.edu.au/__data/page/112507/fse07_forensic_entomology.pdf

 Examples of Diptera (Flies)
Early Stage
Decomposition

Blow & Greenbottle Flies Flesh Fly

(Calliphoridae) (Sarcophagidae)
Metallic thorax and abdomen Striped thorax

Life Cycle of a
Calliphoridae Fly

Late Stage
Decomposition House Fly Cheese Skipper
(Muscidae) (Piophilidae)
Informational Source: http://naturalsciences.org/files/documents/csi_tg_overview.doc
Images: Top Left - http://www.scienceinschool.org/repository/images/issue2forensic3_large.jpg, Middle-Left: http://forensicfact.files.wordpress.com/2008/04/blowfly053.jpg,
Top Right - http://users.usachoice.net/~swb/forensics/P1.jpg, Bottom - http://www.deathonline.net/decomposition/corpse_fauna/flies/index.htm
 Blow Fly Metamorphosis
Blow flies are attracted to dead bodies and often arrive within minutes of the death.
They have a complete life cycle that consists of egg, larva, pupa, and adult stages.

1st – Adult flies lay eggs on the carcass Adult

especially at wound areas or around the
openings in the body such as the nose, eyes,
ears, anus, etc.
Pupa Eggs
2nd – Eggs hatch into larva (maggots) in 12-
24 hours.

3rd– Larvae continue to grow and molt (shed

their exoskeletons) as they pass through the
various instar stages.
1st Instar - 5 mm long after 1.8 days 3rd Instar 1st
2nd Instar - 10 mm long after 2.5 days Larva Instar
3rd Instar – 14-16 mm long after 4-5 days Larva
2nd Instar
4th – The larvae (17 mm) develop into pupa Larva
after burrowing in surrounding soil.
It takes approximately 14-16 days from egg to
adult depending on the temperatures and
5th – Adult flies emerge from pupa cases humidity levels at the location of the body.
after 6-8 days.
Image: http://www.umext.maine.edu/images/FlyLife.jpg
Information: http://www.kathyreichs.com/entomology.htm and http://www.forensicentomologist.org/
 Examples of Coleoptera (Beetles)
Early Stage Decomposition Early to Late Stage Decomposition

Carrion Beetles (Silphidae)

Adults & larvae feed on fly larvae Rove Beetles Clown Beetles
(Staphylinidae) (Histeridae)
Predator of fly eggs Predator of fly eggs

Late Stage Decomposition

Ham & Checkered Beetles

(Cleridae) Hide Beetles
Predator of flies & beetles; (Scarabidae)
also feed on dead tissue Skin Beetles (Dermestidae) Usually the last to arrive
Feed on dried skin & tissues
Informational Source: http://naturalsciences.org/files/documents/csi_tg_overview.doc
Images: http://www.cals.ncsu.edu/course/ent425/library/spotid/coleoptera/coleoptera.html & http://www.forensicflies.com/beetles.htm
Weather data is also an important tool in analyzing insect evidence
from a corpse. Investigators will make note of the temperature of the
air, ground surface, the interface area between the body and the
ground, and the soil under the body as well as the temperature inside
any maggot masses. They will also collect weather data related to
daily temperature (highs/lows) and precipitation for a period of time
before the body was discovered to the time the insect evidence was
collected.

Other factors that might affect their PMI estimates:

1. Was the body enclosed in an area or wrapped in a material that

would have prevented flies from finding the corpse and laying
eggs?

2. Were other insect species present that may have affected the
development of the collected species?

3. Were there drugs or other poisons in or on the body that might

have affected the larvae’s development?
Decay Rates Are Variable

Most important environment factors in

corpse decay:
• Temperature
• Access by insects
• Depth of burial

Other Factors
• Chemical-- embalming agent, insecticides, lime,
etc.
• Animals disrupting the corpse
Five Stages of Decomposition Fueled by
Insect Activity.

Fresh
Bloat
Decay
Post-decay
Dry (skeletal)
Fresh
Begins at death
Flies begin to arrive
Temperature falls to
that of the ambient
temperature.
 Autolysis, the
degradation of
complex protein and
carbohydrate
molecules, occurs.
Bloat
Swells due
to gases
produced
by bacteria
Temperatur
e rise of the
corpse
Flies still
present
Decay
 Gases subside,
decomposition fluids
seep from body.
 Bacteria and maggots
break through the skin.
 Large maggot masses
and extreme amounts of
fluid.
 Unpleasant odor
 Larvae beginning to
pupate.
 Corpse reduced to
about 20% of it’s original
mass.
Post-Decay
 Carcass reduced to
hair, skin, and bones.
 Fly population
reduced and
replaced by other
arthropods.
 Hide beetles are
dominant in dry
environments.
 Mite and predatory
beetle populations
increase.
Dry (Skeletal)

 Does not always occur especially if corpse is in a wet

region. Maggots will stay longer and hide beetles will
not appear.

 In wet environments the hide beetles are replaced with

other insects.

 In the last stage (Skeletal Stage), only bone and hair

remain.
 EJK? or EJK!
Extrajudicial Killings
EJK – Extrajudicial Killing or Extrajudicial
Execution
It is commonly defined as a killing
committed by an agent of the State
without the sanction of a judicial
proceeding.
 An American law has offered an definition of EJK
in section 3a of the United States Torture Victim
Protection Act, which states that it is “a
deliberated killing not authorized by a previous
judgment pronounced by a regularly constituted
court affording all the judicial guarantees which
are recognized as indispensable by civilized
peoples.”
Entomology and EJK. HOW?

FORENSIC
ENTOMOLOGY
is the
application of
the study of
insects and
other
arthropods to
legal issues,
especially in a
court of law.
FORENSIC ENTOMOLOGY or THE USE OF
INSECTS IN DEATH INVESTIGATIONS

 Insects are used for solving crime but mainly in

determining time of death or how long the person
has been dead.
FORENSIC ENTOMOLOGY IN THE
PHILIPPINES
 The Philippines is yet to adapt and implement guidelines
and protocols in forensic entomology, particularly
establishing local databases.
 Of utmost importance to forensic entomology are blow
flies (Diptera: Calliphoridae), which are primary
colonizers of carrion. Through knowledge of their
distribution, identity, and growth rates, investigators are
able to provide a post-mortem interval that is most
accurate after the onset of putrefaction.
FORENSIC ENTEMOLOGY AND EXTRA
JUDICIAL KILLINGS

 Insects are used for solving crime but mainly in

determining time of death
 Forensic entomology is used most commonly to
determine time since death. However, insects can
provide other important information about a crime or
victim. For example, insects can provide details about a
person's life before they died. Because development is
predictable depending on specific factors, the use of
drugs can change the lifecycle timing of an insect.
EXAMPLE: COCAINE.
Moreover, the weather has the greatest affect
on the accuracy of the process described
above.
It is vital that the insects are collected properly
and its accuracy depends on this and on
suitable conditions for insects.
Thank You