The Stone Cold Truth: The Effect of Concrete Encasement on the Rate and Pattern of Soft Tissue Decomposition

• Published in: Journal of forensic sciences Vol. 61; no. 2; pp. 302 - 308
• Main Authors: Martin, D.C., Dabbs, Gretchen R., Roberts, Lindsey G., Cleary, Megan K.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.03.2016; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: Animals; Burial; Casing (process); cement burns; clandestine burial; Combustion; Concrete; concrete burial; concrete encasement; Construction Materials; Decomposition; Encasements; Excavation; Fluids; Forensic Anthropology; Forensic chemistry; Forensic Pathology; forensic science; forensic taphonomy; Hogs; Models, Animal; Organs; Pigs; Postmortem Changes; Purging; Separation; Skin; Stone; Swine; forensic anthropology; clandestine burial; forensic taphonomy; concrete burial; forensic science; cement burns; concrete encasement
• ISSN: 0022-1198; 1556-4029; 1556-4029
• DOI: 10.1111/1556-4029.12970

This study provides a descriptive analysis of taphonomic changes observed in the soft tissue of ten pigs (Sus scrofa) after being encased in Quickrete ® concrete and excavated at monthly or bimonthly intervals over the course of 2 years. The best method of subject excavation was investigated. Rate and pattern of decomposition were compared to a nonencased control subject. Results demonstrate subjects interred in concrete decomposed significantly slower than the control subject (p < 0.01), the difference being observable after 1 month. After 1 year, the encased subject was in the early stage of decomposition with purging fluids and intact organs present, versus complete skeletonization of the control subject. Concrete subjects also display a unique decomposition pattern, exhibiting a chemically burned outer layer of skin and a common separation of the dermal and epidermal layers. Results suggest using traditional methods to estimate postmortem interval on concrete subjects may result in underestimation.