Cable ties in forensic practice

Area of Science:

• Forensic Pathology
• Toxicology
• Legal Medicine

Background:

• Cable or zip ties are inexpensive nylon fasteners with a locking mechanism.
• Their application in medicolegal contexts is infrequent, primarily involving neck compression or restraint scenarios.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the documented use of cable ties in medicolegal cases.
• To identify instances where cable ties caused death, were potentially lethal, contributed to death, or were used for restraint.

Main Methods:

• Searched the Forensic Science SA Pathology Database (Adelaide, Australia).
• Conducted literature searches using PubMed, Google Scholar, and Google for relevant case studies.

Main Results:

• Neck compression by cable ties resulted in ligature strangulation in homicides and suicides among adults.
• Accidental neck compression was rarely documented in children.
• Cable ties were used for restraint in homicides and suicides, including non-lethal wrist restraint by law enforcement.
• Cable ties can also be used to secure ligatures in hanging cases.

Conclusions:

• Despite widespread availability, cable ties are infrequently implicated in medicolegal fatalities.
• Traditional methods of neck compression are more commonly employed, potentially due to lower dexterity requirements.