Determination of the time of death in a homicide-suicide case using flow cytometry.

The study of the biologic processes involved in determining the postmortem interval also can be useful for determining the time of death. In this instance, we investigated the time of death in a case of homicide-suicide using circumstantial findings and thanatochronological and flow cytometric data. The flow cytometric data confirmed the time of death as calculated from the police investigations. This method has proven more reliable than thanatochronological techniques and can be used to supplement these observations. This case indicates that the use of flow cytometry "on the spot" is useful and reliable; however, more evidence is needed to support this new, although to date very sound, method of investigation.