Algor Mortis
Algor Mortis is the name given to the loss of a body's temperature after death. If the body is found within 24 hours following death it may be possible to use temperature to estimate the time of death provided the following conditions are met:
1. The body has been in a place that has remained at normal room temperature without extreme heat or cold
2. The victim's pre-death temperature was not elevated for example by illness
3. The victim was not wearing clothes that may have insulated the body for example a thermal winter coat
With a normal body temperature of 37° celsius before death, the body cools at a rate of 1-1.5°C per hour. Taking an internal temperature and subtracting it from 37°C provides an estimated time of death. For example, a dead body with a temperature of 34°C would suggest the person died between 3 to 4.5 hours ago.
