What is the significance of postmortem intervals and their estimation?

The significance of postmortem intervals (PMI) and their estimation lies primarily in their ability to help establish timelines for crime scenes. By determining how long it has been since a person died, forensic experts can piece together critical information about the events that may have led to the death or occurred afterward.

In criminal investigations, understanding the estimated time of death can assist law enforcement in narrowing down suspects, understanding the circumstances surrounding the crime, and verifying alibis. Accurate estimation of PMI also helps forensic teams in collecting evidence more effectively, as certain factors may change the longer a body is left unattended.

While there may be some relevance to the time of burial, it is more crucial for forensic investigations to pinpoint when death occurred rather than the burial timing itself. Additionally, PMIs are certainly not irrelevant to death investigations; in fact, they play a vital role in clarifying various aspects of a case. Regarding the cause of death, while it is important, PMIs do not directly indicate the cause but rather complement the overall investigation by providing a temporal context.