Atypical stab injury suggesting ritual suicide

Štěpánka Kučerová; Tomáš Vojtíšek; Petr Hejna

doi:10.5114/amsik.2016.63865

eISSN: 1689-1716
ISSN: 0324-8267

Archiwum Medycyny Sądowej i Kryminologii/Archives of Forensic Medicine and Criminology

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2/2016
vol. 66

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abstract:

Case report

Atypical stab injury suggesting ritual suicide

Štěpánka Kučerová

¹

,

Tomáš Vojtíšek

²

,

Petr Hejna

¹

Department of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Charles University in Prague, Prague, University Hospital Hradec Králové, Hradec Králové, Czech Republic
Department of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, St. Anne’s Faculty Hospital Brno, Brno, Czech Republic

Arch Med Sąd Kryminol 2016; 66 (2): 125-132

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5114/amsik.2016.63865

Online publish date: 2016/11/28

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Sharp weapons have been one of the most common deadly tools in cases of homicide and suicide for a long time. Tentative incisions accompany the majority of suicides by sharp force and the absence of hesitation marks provokes questions about the manner of death. We present the bizarre fatality of a 41-year-old male with an isolated circumscribed incision on the right neck, where the body was found lying in a pool of blood in the shower of his apartment. The internal examination revealed a 4-cm-long channel-like defect running inwardly and downwardly along the right sternocleidomastoid region. The cause of death was external bleeding from an injured right carotid artery and internal jugular vein. The wound had clean non-contused margins without any conspicuous hesitation injuries. A fragment of a razor blade, found in blood splatters, was identified as the only potential injuring tool. The case was classified as a suicide.

keywords:

Atypical stab injury suggesting ritual suicide

Štěpánka Kučerová 1 , Tomáš Vojtíšek 2 , Petr Hejna 1

autopsy, stab wound, ritual suicide, razor blade, hesitation marks

Štěpánka Kučerová

¹

,

Tomáš Vojtíšek

²

,

Petr Hejna

¹