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Nonterrorist suicidal deaths involving explosives.

Lisa B E Shields1, Donna M Hunsaker, John C Hunsaker

  • 1Office of the Medical Examiner, Louisville, Kentucky 40204, USA.

The American Journal of Forensic Medicine and Pathology
|May 30, 2003
PubMed
Summary

Suicidal deaths involving explosives are rare and require multidisciplinary investigation. This study details two cases of non-terrorist explosive suicides with severe head injuries.

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Area of Science:

  • Forensic Pathology
  • Toxicology
  • Explosives Investigation

Background:

  • Suicidal deaths involving explosives, excluding terrorism, are infrequent.
  • Investigating explosive-related fatalities necessitates a collaborative, multidisciplinary approach.

Observation:

  • Two cases of non-terrorist, suicidal explosive-related deaths are presented, both resulting in massive craniocerebral destruction.
  • Case 1: A 20-year-old male died from an improvised explosive device (IED) placed in his mouth.
  • Case 2: A 46-year-old male died from a detonator blasting cap attached to electrical wires held in his hand.

Findings:

  • Medicolegal investigation identified the cause of death as intentional self-infliction using explosive devices.
  • Evidence collected included improvised explosive devices (M-100s), suicide notes, detonator blasting caps, and electrical wiring.

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  • Autopsy findings revealed extensive craniofacial injuries consistent with close-proximity explosive detonation.

    • Implications:

    • Accurate reconstruction of fatal explosive events is crucial for differentiating suicide from accidents or homicides.
    • Understanding various explosive devices aids medicolegal death investigators in death scene analysis.
    • This approach enhances the ability to classify uncommon forms of suicide involving explosives.