Estimation of short-term postmortem interval utilizing core body temperature: a new algorithm.

The use of temperature-based short-term postmortem interval (PMI) estimation methods can be useful to homicide investigators at the scene of a questionable death; however, a number of current PMI estimation techniques have high error rates such that they are of limited utility to law enforcement investigators and forensic professionals. These methods fail to control confounding errors present in individual data. An averages-based method of short term postmortem interval estimation was compared to eight other methods, and found to predict postmortem interval considerably more accurately, and for much longer periods of time.