How long does it take for livor mortis to become fixed in a body?

Livor mortis, or postmortem hypostasis, is a physiological process that occurs after death, where blood settles in the lowest parts of the body due to gravity. This process leads to discoloration of the skin and can provide critical information in forensic investigations about the position of the body post-death and the time of death.

The correct timeframe for livor mortis to become fixed is between 8 to 12 hours after death. During this period, the blood begins to pool, and by around the 8 to 12 hours mark, the discoloration becomes permanent, meaning it won’t change even if the body is moved. After this point, the livor mortis is considered fixed, which signifies that it cannot be altered by repositioning the body.

Understanding this timeframe is important in forensic science, as it assists investigators in reconstructing the timeline of events surrounding a person's death, including determining whether the body was moved after death or if the initial position of the body provides clues to the circumstances of the death. The other options represent shorter or longer timeframes that do not accurately reflect the physiological changes that occur in the settling of blood postmortem.