Medico-legal evaluation of deaths due to decapitation

Abstract

Decapitation of bodies is a rare event in the civilian setting and is reported to account for approximately 0.1 % of medico-legal autopsies. Suicidal decapitation is a very rare method of self-destruction. In suicidal decapitation, the favored method is the one involving trains. Other encountered methods are decapitation in suicidal hanging, vehicle-assisted ligature suicide. Though being encountered rarely decapitation by guillotine was also reported. In this retrospective study, in order to depict characteristic features of deaths with decapitation, we presented the findings of fatalities with decapitation over a 10-year period in a medico-legal autopsy series in Istanbul, Turkey. A total of 36270 forensic autopsies were performed over the period of the study and in 19 cases, the bodies were found to be decapitated (0.05 %). The age range of decapitated bodies was 18 to 71 years (average 39,1 years), with a male to female ratio of 13/6. There was only one case of suicide and the way used for suicide was a mechanism like guillotine. In this case, a guillotine-like device designed by male victim had been used for deliberately decapitating the body. The age of the suicide case was 41 years. There was no female suicide case. There were 13 deaths of accidental origin. 6 vehicle crashes and 7 train-pedestrian accidents. The age range of individuals died in accidents was 26 to 68 years (average 36.8 years) with a male to female ratio of 11/2. During the study period the number of the homicide cases with decapitation was 5. The age range of homicide cases was 18 to 71 years (average, 45.2 years), with a male to female ratio of ¼. There were multiple traumas in other body parts of the bodies of homicide cases together with decapitation. In majority of homicide cases, multiple stab wounds were detected. Decapitation level of vertebrae was at the level of 3-4 cervical vertebrae in 9 cases and different levels at cervical region in other cases.

Trend of Medicolegal Manner of Deaths in Ghana: A Forensic Autopsy-Based Study

“…[9] The male dominance can be ascribed to the exposure to environment due to outdoor work activities, putting them at higher risk than females. [10] 25.31% natural deaths and 1.1% undetermined manner of death which concords with current study. A study in China documented 13.8% undetermined manner of death and 1.8% natural deaths.…”

“…Similar trend is documented by studies in Nigeria and China. [6,8] Accident as the major manner of unnatural death is also showed by Anjanamma et al, [3] Husaini et al and Issa et al [7,10] Contrarily, a higher suicidal death rate (than homicide) were recorded in their studies which is opposite to current study. Antipodal trend of manner of unnatural deaths were recorded in Germany and Egypt with modal suicidal and homicidal deaths respectively.…”

Death due to homicidal decapitation – a case report

“…The fourth motive for post-mortem mutilation would be necromaniac mutilation, carried out on a dead body, where the mode of death is not necessarily a homicide. 4,5 In our case, we found multiple incised wounds and lacerations over the scalp and back. The neck was chopped multiple times to separate the head from the trunk which suggests the aggressive type of the mutilation.…”

“…There were multiple injuries to other body parts of the victims, together with the decapitation. 4 In our case; the deceased was female of 41 years.…”

“…Only few reports are available in published literature. 3,4 Search in Google Scholar and PubMed did not show report from Nepal. The aim of reporting this rare form homicidal decapitation and discussion will provide educational information on the topic.…”