Counting the Days: Exploring Post-mortem Interval Factors in Sexual Homicides

• In Event: The Texas State University Cold Case Investigations Project: Research, Training, and Operational Support

Abstract

This study explores the offender, victim, and environmental characteristics that influence the length of time a sexual homicide victim remains undiscovered. Utilizing a sample of 269 cases from the Washington State Homicide Investigation Tracking System (HITS) database, an in-depth analysis was conducted to determine the factors that contribute to delays in the discovery of victims’ bodies. Count data was examined using a negative binomial regression analysis, which specifically addresses both over-dispersion and excess zeros in the dependent variable (number of days before the victim is found). The findings reveal certain offender characteristics, victim traits, and spatio-temporal factors play key roles in this time lag. The findings have important implications for homicide investigations and provide useful insights for resolving cold cases.

Author

• April Miin Miin Chai, School of Criminal Justice and Criminology, Texas State University