Q: If someone commits suicide, how long would the police secure the house?

[8letters]

I'm writing a story where a character blows his brains out in his bedroom. His wife comes home, finds the body, calls the police and they come out to investigate. I'm guessing that the police would ask her to live someplace else while they investigate the shooting. Any idea how long they would ask her to stay away? Would the police allow the body to buried a week later?

 

[Handley_Page]

I'm writing a story where a character blows his brains out in his bedroom. His wife comes home, finds the body, calls the police and they come out to investigate. I'm guessing that the police would ask her to live someplace else while they investigate the shooting. Any idea how long they would ask her to stay away? Would the police allow the body to buried a week later?

I'm guessing a bit here, but in the UK,
the body can usually be moved when the medic has done his bit and certified death.

Given a simple suicide, a week should do it, if the Coroner's not too busy to authorise burial./ cremation.
However,
If there's any problem, the house would be sealed, pending SoC officers.

From there on, it's anyone's guess.

 

[someoneyouknow]

Something else to consider, it's not just how long the police and/or coroner secure the scene, but there is also the clean up involved. Depending on the splatter (in your case), the process can add a day or two, not to mention how long the person takes to go back into the house after the suicide.

 

[Bramblethorn]

Something else to consider, it's not just how long the police and/or coroner secure the scene, but there is also the clean up involved. Depending on the splatter (in your case), the process can add a day or two, not to mention how long the person takes to go back into the house after the suicide.

Yeah, I would think in most cases the limiting factor would be how long before she's prepared to stay in the house again, rather than time for police/CSI to do their thing.

 

[Hypoxia]

If he had the grace to pull the trigger whilst in the backyard, garage, or pool house, the period would be much shorter. But the bedroom? Would she *ever* want to sleep in or even enter that bedroom again? Or is that issue part of your story?

 

[MSTarot]

I'm writing a story where a character blows his brains out in his bedroom. His wife comes home, finds the body, calls the police and they come out to investigate. I'm guessing that the police would ask her to live someplace else while they investigate the shooting. Any idea how long they would ask her to stay away? Would the police allow the body to buried a week later?

My second cousin went through that very scenario back in the mid '90s

Her and her husband were divorcing. So he called her to come get her stuff, then killed himself so she would be the one to find him.

His body was removed of course that night, afterabout two hours of photos and notes, then the house was sealed till the next day.

She was allowed to then return to get any of her possessions from the house. The house was his in the divorce they were going through, so it went to his family.

(Who greatly objected to us showing up to get her stuff, we had to call the county sheriff to be there while we removed her things)

The clean up was done by a service his family hired. (good luck on that one was my thoughts, i saw the room. He used shotgun under his chin)

Don't know if that will help.

MST

 

[Zeb_Carter]

Usually, six to twelve hours, sometimes twenty-four, but if they suspect foul play, forty-eight hours and longer isn't unheard of.

 

[8letters]

Thanks for all the answers. I had some guesses, but I feel better having more accurate time frames.

If he had the grace to pull the trigger whilst in the backyard, garage, or pool house, the period would be much shorter. But the bedroom? Would she *ever* want to sleep in or even enter that bedroom again? Or is that issue part of your story?

In the story, she never returns to the house. She has friends bring her her clothes, sells the rest and then puts the house on the market.

 

[DeYaKen]

I'm writing a story where a character blows his brains out in his bedroom. His wife comes home, finds the body, calls the police and they come out to investigate. I'm guessing that the police would ask her to live someplace else while they investigate the shooting. Any idea how long they would ask her to stay away? Would the police allow the body to buried a week later?

This may be a bit late for you, sorry.
It really depends on how quickly the police become certain that there is no foul play. As Handley says, in the UK Scene of Crimes would be in the house for a few days at least. After that, they would seal off the house until they were sure that they didn't need to probe further.

Releasing the body is another thing. There would be a post-mortem examination (autopsy) and they would have to wait for toxicology reports etc. A straightforward suicide should see the body being released in a week to ten days. However, the wife cannot start funeral arrangements until the body is released and would have to book a slot at the crematorium or cemetry/church. That is likely to take another week at least.

If the deceased is of a religion which require rapid burial or cremation, both release times and waiting times may be shorter.

 

[Tio_Narratore]

It's actually quite variable and dependent on the laws, by-laws, rules, and procedures in the jurisdiction in which the suicide takes place. Where I am, only a licensed medical doctor can declare a death and a body can only be moved under a coroner's certification. Usually the doctor is there pretty quickly, but not always; the coroner is an appointed official, and may be busy with other things for a while (I've seen waits of more than 24 hours for a coroner). Then, of course, the medical examiner steps in and... In the meantime, the police have sealed things off awaiting the results of the post-mortem, which may take a few days (depending on how busy the morgue is) to see if they have to fully process the scene...and then....

 

[8letters]

It's actually quite variable and dependent on the laws, by-laws, rules, and procedures in the jurisdiction in which the suicide takes place. Where I am, only a licensed medical doctor can declare a death and a body can only be moved under a coroner's certification. Usually the doctor is there pretty quickly, but not always; the coroner is an appointed official, and may be busy with other things for a while (I've seen waits of more than 24 hours for a coroner). Then, of course, the medical examiner steps in and... In the meantime, the police have sealed things off awaiting the results of the post-mortem, which may take a few days (depending on how busy the morgue is) to see if they have to fully process the scene...and then....

It takes place in an unnamed largish American city.

 

[Hypoxia]

It takes place in an unnamed largish American city.

Then you are free to invent your own rules!