Murder at the Mayfair – Investigation Results

Dhruv K. Baid
Raffles Institution
November 27, 2014

Abstract
This is a research paper investigating a hypothetical murder scene. Its purpose is to
determine the time of death of the victim and hence decide which of the 3 possible suspects are
to be detained for questioning.

1 Introduction
The body of Mr. Joe D. Wood was discovered in the refrigerator of the Mayfair Diner at 5:30 AM.
He was murdered, by one of the following suspects: Twinkles the dancer, Slim the bookie, and Shorty the
cook. The purpose of this paper is to determine the time of death and hence conclude which suspect
should be detained, based on their times of entry and exit from the Mayfair Diner as stated by
eyewitnesses.

2 Body
The first assumption is that Mr. Wood is murdered in the refrigerator where he was found. In this case,
we can model the scenario using Newton’s Law of Cooling, which is given as:
𝑑𝑇
= 𝑘(𝑇 − 𝑇𝑚 )
𝑑𝑡
where 𝑇 represents the temperature of the body at time 𝑡, and 𝑇𝑚 represents the external temperature.
In this case, 𝑇𝑚 is the internal temperature of the refrigerator, given as:

𝑇𝑚 = 50℉
Hence,
𝑑𝑇
= 𝑘(𝑇 − 50)
𝑑𝑡
1
⇒ 𝑑𝑇 = 𝑘 𝑑𝑡
𝑇 − 50
1
⇒∫ 𝑑𝑇 = ∫ 𝑘 𝑑𝑡
𝑇 − 50
⇒ ln|𝑇 − 50| = 𝑘𝑡 + 𝐶, 𝐶 ∈ ℝ
⇒ 𝑇 = 50 ± 𝐴𝑒 𝑘𝑡 , 𝐴 ∈ ℝ+ … (1)
To determine the constants (𝐴, 𝑘) ∈ ℝ2 , we use the coroner’s readings, given by:
(𝑡, 𝑇) = (0,85) … (2)
1
(𝑡, 𝑇) = (− , 84) … (3)
2
Upon substitution into (1), we obtain the following equations:

85 = 50 ± 𝐴 … (2)′
1
84 = 50 ± 𝐴𝑒 −2𝑘 … (3)′
From (2)′, we obtain:

𝐴 = ±35
Substituting this into (3)′, we obtain two solutions:
1 34
84 = 50 + 35𝑒 −2𝑘 ⇒ 𝑘 = −2 ln ≈ 0.058 > 0
35
OR
1
84 = 50 − 35𝑒 −2𝑘
1 34
⇒ 𝑒 −2𝑘 = − < 0 ⇒ 𝑘 ∉ ℝ (∵ 𝑒 𝑥 > 0 ∀ 𝑥 ∈ ℝ)
35
Hence, we can substitute these values of 𝐴 and 𝑘 into (1) to obtain the final solution 𝑇(𝑡):
34
−2𝑡 ln( )
𝑇 = 50 ± 35𝑒 35 … (4)

Substituting normal body temperature 𝑇 = 98.6℉ into (4), we obtain:

34
−2𝑡 ln( )
98.6 = 50 ± 35𝑒 35
34
−2𝑡 ln( ) 48.6
⇒𝑒 35 = (∵ 𝑒 𝑥 > 0 ∀ 𝑥 ∈ ℝ)
35
48.6
ln ( )
⇒𝑡= 35
34
−2 ln ( )
35
≈ 5.66
Hence, according to this analysis, Mr. Wood was murdered 5.66 hours, or approximately 5 hours 40
minutes, before 6:00 AM – that is, at approximately 12:20 AM that night.

However, it is also possible that Mr. Wood was not murdered in the refrigerator but was instead moved
there after being murdered outside. In this case, we model the situation using the following equation:
𝑑𝑇
= 𝑘(𝑇 − 𝑇𝑚 ),
𝑑𝑡
where

𝑇𝑚 = 50 + 20𝑈(𝑡 − ℎ)
and 𝑈(𝑥) is the unit step function defined as:
0 (𝑥 < 0)
𝑈(𝑥) = {
1 (𝑥 > 0)
𝑑𝑇
Denoting 𝑑𝑡 by 𝑇′, we get:

𝑇 ′ = 𝑘𝑡 − 𝑘𝑇𝑚
⇒ 𝑇 ′ − 𝑘𝑡 + 𝑘𝑇𝑚 = 0
⇒ 𝑇 ′ − 𝑘𝑡 + 50𝑘 + 20𝑘𝑈(𝑡 − ℎ) = 0
To solve this equation, we take the Laplace Transformation of both sides, giving:

ℒ{𝑇 ′ } − 𝑘ℒ{𝑡} + 50𝑘ℒ{1} + 20𝑘ℒ{𝑈(𝑡 − ℎ)} = ℒ{0}

50𝑘 20𝑘𝑒 −ℎ𝑠
⇒ 𝑠ℒ{𝑇} − 𝑇(0) − 𝑘ℒ{𝑇} + + =0
𝑠 𝑠
50𝑘 20𝑘𝑒 −ℎ𝑠
𝑇(0) − 𝑠 − 𝑠
⇒ ℒ{𝑇} =
𝑠−𝑘
50𝑘 20𝑘𝑒 −ℎ𝑠
85 − −
= 𝑠 𝑠
𝑠−𝑘
85 50𝑘 20𝑘𝑒 −ℎ𝑠
= − −
𝑠 − 𝑘 𝑠(𝑠 − 𝑘) 𝑠(𝑠 − 𝑘)
85 50 50 20𝑒 −ℎ𝑠 20𝑒 −ℎ𝑠
= + − + −
𝑠−𝑘 𝑠 𝑠−𝑘 𝑠 𝑠−𝑘
Hence, by using the Table of Laplace Transformations [1], we can see that

85 50 50 20𝑒 −ℎ𝑠 20𝑒 −ℎ𝑠

𝑇 = ℒ −1 { + − + − }
𝑠−𝑘 𝑠 𝑠−𝑘 𝑠 𝑠−𝑘
85 50 50 e−ℎ𝑠 e−ℎ𝑠
= ℒ −1 { } + ℒ −1 { } − ℒ −1 { } + 20ℒ −1 { } − 20ℒ −1 { }
s−k s s−k s s−k
= 85𝑒 𝑘𝑡 + 50 − 50𝑒 𝑘𝑡 + 20𝑈(𝑡 − ℎ) − 20𝑒 𝑘(𝑡−ℎ) 𝑈(𝑡 − ℎ)
= 50 + 35𝑒 𝑘𝑡 + 20𝑈(𝑡 − ℎ) − 20𝑒 𝑘(𝑡−ℎ) 𝑈(𝑡 − ℎ)
We can use the value of 𝑘 obtained earlier to complete this equation:
34
𝑇 = 50 + 35𝑒 𝑘𝑡 + 20𝑈(𝑡 − ℎ) − 20𝑒 𝑘(𝑡−ℎ) 𝑈(𝑡 − ℎ), 𝑘 = −2 ln ( )
35
This is the equation relating the body temperature 𝑇 to the number of hours before 6:00 AM Mr. Wood
was murdered (𝑡 hours) and moved into the refrigerator (ℎ hours). We can now set 𝑇 = 98.6℉, which is
the normal human body temperature, to obtain a relation between 𝑡 and ℎ which will eventually show
when Mr. Wood was murdered. Here, we make the assumption that Mr. Wood’s body temperature was
98.6℉ just prior to his death.

98.6 = 50 + 35𝑒 𝑘𝑡 + 20𝑈(𝑡 − ℎ) − 20𝑒 𝑘(𝑡−ℎ) 𝑈(𝑡 − ℎ)

34
⇒ 20𝑈(𝑡 − ℎ) + 35𝑒 𝑘𝑡 − 20𝑒 𝑘(𝑡−ℎ) 𝑈(𝑡 − ℎ) = 48.6, 𝑘 = −2 ln ( ) … (5)
35
Clearly, 𝑡 > ℎ, since Mr. Wood has to be murdered before his corpse can be moved. Then,

𝑡 − ℎ > 0 ⇒ 𝑈(𝑡 − ℎ) = 1
Substituting this value into (5), we have:

20 − 20𝑒 𝑘(𝑡−ℎ) + 35𝑒 𝑘𝑡 = 48.6

20
⇒ 𝑒 𝑘𝑡 (35 − 𝑘ℎ ) = 28.6
𝑒
28.6
ln ( 20 )
35 − 𝑘ℎ 34
⇒𝑡= 𝑒 , 𝑘 = −2 ln ( )
𝑘 35
Using this equation, we can create the following table relating the time the body was moved to the time
of death, based on ℎ and 𝑡:

h Time body moved Time of death

12 6 PM 3:42 AM
11 7 PM 3:17 AM
10 8 PM 2:50 AM
9 9 PM 2:20 AM
8 10 PM 1:48 AM
7 11 PM 1:13 AM
6 12 AM 12:34 AM
5 1 AM 11:52 PM
4 2 AM 11:04 PM
3 3 AM 10:12 PM
2 4 AM 9:13 PM

If we assume that Mr. Wood was murdered before being moved, the results only make sense for ℎ ≤ 6,
as shown in the table above.

Now, we use the eyewitness accounts of the three suspects and their time of entry and exit from the
Mayfair Diner to determine who the culprit is most likely to be. In my opinion, it should be Shorty the
cook. Shorty is the only suspect who was in the restaurant at any of the possible times of murder
(shown in green), and he only left after the corresponding time when Mr. Wood’s corpse was moved
into the refrigerator. According to the eyewitness accounts, Shorty “took an unusually long break at
10:30”, and left “when the restaurant closed at 2:00 AM.” This makes two scenarios plausible: Mr.
Wood was murdered at 11:52 PM and his corpse was moved at 1 AM, or he was murdered at 11:04 PM
and his corpse was moved at 2 AM (assuming Shorty could move the body and escape in negligible
time).

Apart from this analysis, it is also worth noting that algor mortis is not perfectly explained by Newton’s
Law of Cooling. A more accurate estimate could be given by the Glaister Equation. We could now derive
a similar equation by using linear approximation using the equation
 𝑑𝑇
= 𝑘(𝑇 − 𝑇𝑚 )
𝑑𝑡
and the initial condition

𝑇(0) = 𝑇0
The equation of the tangent passing through the point (0, 𝑇0 ) is given by:
𝑑𝑇
𝑇 − 𝑇0 = | (𝑡 − 0)
𝑑𝑡 𝑡=0
⇒ 𝑇 = 𝑘(𝑇0 − 𝑇𝑚 )(𝑡) + 𝑇0
= 𝑘𝑡(𝑇0 − 𝑇𝑚 ) + 𝑇0 … (6)
Substituting 𝑇 = 98.4 into (6), we have:

98.4 = 𝑘𝑡(𝑇0 − 𝑇𝑚 ) + 𝑇0
98.4 − 𝑇0
⇒𝑡= ,
𝑘(𝑇0 − 𝑇𝑚 )
which is similar in form to the actual Glaister Equation.

3 Conclusion
In conclusion, we have determined, using various methods of solving differential
equations, the time of Mr. Wood’s death, as well as the time at which he was moved into the
refrigerator.

4 Discussion
The analysis presented here was a simplification of the actual methods used in forensic
investigations. Moreover, this report does not handle the motive behind the murder, which may
provide further insight into this case. However, as a preliminary report, these results should
suffice.

5 References
[1] Table of Laplace Transforms. Retrieved from: <website>.
6 Appendix