Sheila on the bed, photo's withheld, blankets / sheets destroyed, carpets burned

[Bridget]

Well if my cat is anything to go by you could stand him up on his side and lean him against a wall. I though RM took 2-4 hours? Sheila's body was not all that large and she was quite thin. But looking at her skin colour (I know they are not very clear photos) I would say that her body was not yet in rigor. But of course others would disagree.
http://www.somerset.k12.md.us/JMT/postmortem_changes.htm

Yes I think 2-4 is the average for temperate climates, but that's just when it starts, and then it spreads gradually.

[susan]

Grahame what have you done to your cat to prove a point bit drastic

[mertol22]

Who would have known this more than anyone else that morning as to the stage of the RM ? the funeral staff how many deceased do you think they have removed prior ??

[Bridget]

Who would have known this more than anyone else that morning as to the stage of the RM ? the funeral staff how many deceased do you think they have removed prior ??

What time did they attend Mertol, do you know?

[bloggs and son]

Grahame what have you done to your cat to prove a point bit drastic

He got run over years ago one night. He was stiff as a board in the morning when we found him by the road side.

[mertol22]

What time did they attend Mertol, do you know?

ive seen 13.00 hours on the forum bridget to call them / attend

[Bridget]

ive seen 13.00 hours on the forum bridget to call them / attend

Thanks. So if Sheila had have died at say 7.30am or later (when the raid team entered) they would probably have seen a difference in the degree of RM that had set in.

Can I ask another horrid question? If a body has 'set' in the position that Ralph's had, how do they get them in the bag / box?

[guest154]

Stress levels/adrenaline also slow dowm RM due to body temp etc. So with Sheila either going on a rampage and killing her family - or being killed by Jeremy you've got to believe that the stress levels were soaring slowing RM down.

[Patti]

Stress levels/adrenaline also slow dowm RM due to body temp etc. So with Sheila either going on a rampage and killing her family - or being killed by Jeremy you've got to believe that the stress levels were soaring slowing RM down.

Not so mat....Age, stress, temperature and adrenaline quicken RM...I think you have it the wrong way round 

[Bridget]

Not so mat....Age, stress, temperature and adrenaline quicken RM...I think you have it the wrong way round 

Yes, I think that's right.

[mertol22]

Thanks. So if Sheila had have died at say 7.30am or later (when the raid team entered) they would probably have seen a difference in the degree of RM that had set in.

Can I ask another horrid question? If a body has 'set' in the position that Ralph's had, how do they get them in the bag / box?

Its not a horrid question using great care its possible to free what may appear to be immobile limbs, thus making the process of removal easier , where this is not possible for the timeframe i think canvas bags may have been used ,however  i have seen a image in the Murder Casebook 7 the WHF murders ,funeral staff leaving from the main door lifting what looks like a removal coffin, with no further information i believe the deceased to be male simply because using such removal equiptment upstairs is almost impossible they are or were not for that purpose .

[guest154]

Not so mat....Age, stress, temperature and adrenaline quicken RM...I think you have it the wrong way round 

you're right, Patti. Sorry.

[mertol22]

Something like this would have been used for Ralph in my view.

[Bridget]

Something like this would have been used for Ralph in my view.

When you say 'free what may appear to be immobile limbs' do you mean break the rigor? I'm wondering how hard that would be and whether it could have caused any of the marks on Ralph's arms? I'm thinking probably not - because I'm sure they would have realised that that would not be desirable.

[mertol22]

When you say 'free what may appear to be immobile limbs' do you mean break the rigor? I'm wondering how hard that would be and whether it could have caused any of the marks on Ralph's arms? I'm thinking probably not - because I'm sure they would have realised that that would not be desirable.

where death is recent i.e within the hour , limbs can be loosened once more after placing in a coffin due to cold room/mortuary holding the removals on the day in question i very suspect no attempts would have been made to ease removal as the deseased were all shot i.e did not die of natural causes, the removal fibreglass coffins are in general  bigger inside than a normal one there is no packing inside.