Korean J Leg Med.  2011 Nov;35(2):152-156.

A Case Report of Rare Decapitation in Suicidal Hanging Death

• Kim DY
• Lee SH

Abstract

We report a rare case of complete decapitation in suicidal hanging from a bridge railing. A 71-year-old man weighing 75 kg jumped from the bridge of 6 m in height from the ground using a 4.5 m and 0.9 cm thick nylon rope with a running noose. The lower end of the rope was hanged 2.5 m from the ground. The decapitated body was found in the ground with blood pool. The head was 1 m apart from the body. The neck had a sharply demarcated circumferential band-like ligature mark with twisted diagonal lacerated margins. He had a history of depression and left a suicidal note. From the police investigation and death scene investigation, the case was determined as a suicidal hanging although the autopsy was not done. We reviewed literatures of decapitation cases in hanging deaths and compared the calculated physical forces applied to the ligature.

Keyword

hanging; decapitation; suicide

MeSH Terms

Aged
Autopsy
Decapitation
Depression
Head
Humans
Ligation
Neck
Nylons
Police
Running
Suicide
Nylons