# Morbid: What would be the effect of electrocuting someone for 20 years? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 18, 2022, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/morbid-what-would-be-the-effect-of-electrocuting-someone-for-20-years/969909 "2022-08-18T20:57:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 1\ **Showing post:** 14
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2022, 8:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/morbid-what-would-be-the-effect-of-electrocuting-someone-for-20-years/969909/14 "2022-08-20T08:29:49Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > The linked article doesn’t appear to state that the body remained electrified - is that fact stated somewhere? The full report states that Steffey’s body was found in the same position in which he died, still in contact with the live wire. Other sources state that the discovery of the body occurred due to a janitor hearing popping or pinging sounds coming from the electrical room, which were caused by electricity arcing from his body into a pool of fluids that had drained from him during that time. > **[070702RimkusFinal.pdf](https://www.purdue.edu/uns/x/2007b/070702RimkusFinal.pdf)** > > 846.62 KB In fact, we’ve even got a thread about it from when it happened. > [@Wade Steffey found dead - electrocution was cause of death](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wade-steffey-found-dead-electrocution-was-cause-of-death/396799/): > > [Wade Steffey](http://www.purdueexponent.org/?module=wadeSteffey) This poor guy went missing some months ago at Purdue. He was from my hometown of Bloomington, Indiana, and attended my high school where he was two grades below me. When he first went missing, everyone who knew him said it was unlikely that he would run away, so speculation tended towards kidnapping or murder. Police and volunteers searched the whole Purdue campus and beyond for weeks, with absolutely no leads whatsoever. There was an initial intense flurry of search activity which… > [@Wade Steffey found dead - electrocution was cause of death](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wade-steffey-found-dead-electrocution-was-cause-of-death/396799/20): > > Got my hands on a copy of the Purdue Exponent and found my answer to why he didn’t smell: electricity was running through him the whole time. He was found when a janitor heard a “popping” noise in the room. And here’s an article from the time of the discovery, confirming that they had to turn off the power to safely remove the body. > **[Identity of body found at Purdue won\\'t be released today](https://www.heraldtimesonline.com/story/news/2007/03/19/identity-of-body-found-at-purdue-wont-be-released-today/117822624/)** > > An autopsy on the body found inside a utility area at Purdue University’s Owen Hall will be done late tonight, which means the identity of the person will not be released today, said Tippecanoe County Deputy Coroner Jane Haan.“Nothing today,” Haan... --- _[View the full topic](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/morbid-what-would-be-the-effect-of-electrocuting-someone-for-20-years/969909)._