Unusual Suicide with a Chainsaw

Abstract

Described here is a case of suicide with the use of a chainsaw. A female suffering from schizophrenia committed suicide by an ingenious use of a chainsaw that resulted in the transection of her cervical spine and spinal cord. The findings of the resulting investigation are described and the mechanism of suicides with the use of a chainsaw is reviewed. A dry bone study was realized to determine the bone sections, the correlation between anatomic lesions and characteristics of chainsaw. The damage of organs and soft tissues is compared according to the kinds of chainsaw used.

Neck injury patterns resulting from the use of petrol and electric chainsaws in suicides. Report on two cases

“…3 When the chain hits bone, in the absence of sufficient manual pressure applied by the operator, the dangerous phenomenon known as "kickback" may occur, with the guide bar bouncing back and causing small, secondary, smooth-edged, parallel wounds above the deep primary wound, which may also be enlarged. 9,10,15,16 The wounds caused by kickback may be morphologically different from tentative wounds caused by multiple applications of the bar and may be distant from the main wound and generally less deep.…”

“…1e8 The application of the guide bar to the neck or lower part of the head produces deep, lethal wounds involving the tegumental areas, muscle, bone, nerves and spinal cord, which cause a rapid demise due to exanguination and collapse due to the interruption of spinal sympathetic fibres. 1,9,10 Analysis of the death scene and related circumstances may sometimes be inconclusive, with forensic investigators having initial difficulty in differentiating between suicide and homicide events. 9 In the event of a chainsaw-related death it is essential that the following steps are taken in order to determine whether a suicide or homicide has been committed: an accurate reconstruction of the event, the scrupulous investigation of the death scene, the reconstruction of the victim's psychiatric history or the prior experience of handling chainsaws or similar tools, and the execution of appropriate autopsy examinations.…”

“…2,10 In the case of vibrations above 100 kHz the destructive compressive waves will increase and give rise to a macerated appearance in the deepest internal areas of the lateral walls of the wound and will involve bone, cartilage (periarticular, thyroid, hyoid, tracheal rings), ligaments, tendons, and soft tissues such as muscles, blood vessels and nerves. 10 The angle of incidence between the longitudinal axis of the neck and the longitudinal axis of the guide bar is generally less than 90 , since the handgrip of the chainsaw is held down and the bar is held up, while the angle of incidence between the longitudinal axis of the neck and the transverse axis of the bar can be more or less than 90 , because the bar is generally held against the neck with a rotation of its transverse axis, depending on how the chainsaw is held by the subject.…”

“…reported that the mechanical vibrations produced by a chainsaw may also cause lesions when the tool is used on the human body. 10 The severity of these wounds is a consequence of the amplitude, frequency and duration of the vibrations and the density of the part of the body in question.…”

“…9,11 Various authors have described and differentiated the typical morphological features of wounds to the neck or basal areas of the skull produced by petrol and electric chainsaws observed during post-mortem examination. 9,10 Reuhl et al reported the features of conspicuous neck wounds caused by petrol chainsaws as consisting of deep, gaping injuries, measuring several centimetres in width and several centimetres in length, with the edges mostly torn and ragged. Reuhl et al also remarked that the majority of the edges present the typical features of severely lacerated and contused wounds with transverse fissures and notches also involving the deep bony structures.…”