homicide disguised by suicide

8/16/2019 Homicide Disguised by Suicide

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J Indian A cad Forensic Med. Apri l -Jun e 2015, Vol . 37 , No. 2 ISSN 0971-0973

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midline3) A contusion of size 4.5cm x 2.5cm was

present over medial aspect of right leg,5.5cm above ankle joint, blue in color.

Internal Examination: An oval shaped infiltration of blood in

sub-cutaneous tissue of size 3x2 cm seenunderneath the external contusion on neck, darkreddish in color. (Fig. 2)There was infiltration ofblood within neck muscles & in the thyro-hyoidmembrane of right side. (Fig. 3) Inwardcompression fracture of left superior cornu ofhyoid bone with evidence of blood infiltration inedges was seen.

Petechial hemorrhages were present inthe white matter of brain with congestion. Noinjuries seen over tongue, buccal mucosa andteeth. No imprint abrasion or any other injurysuggestive of use of nylon rope.

Esophagus Mucosa congested. Larynx

congested. Petechial hemorrhages found overlaryngeal mucosa. Rest all organs congested.Dark fluid blood was present.

Stomach contains 60gms of semi-digested dal and rice with abnormal smellperceived and mucosa congested.

Blood preserved for chemicalanalysis and which contains 117 milligram ofethyl alcohol per 100 milliliters.Opinion about cause of death: “Asphyxia dueto throttling with evidence of alcoholconsumption”. Discussion:

Asphyxial deaths, particularly due tocompression over neck have always been achallenging scenario in Forensic practice.

Strangulation is defined as asphyxia byclosure of the blood vessels and / or airpassages of the neck as a result of externalpressure on the neck. [1] It is subdivide intothree main categories: hanging, ligaturestrangulation and manual strangulation.

The distinction between these threeentities is attributed to the cause of the externalpressure on the neck- either a constricting bandtightened by the gravitational weight of the body

or part of the body (hanging); a constricting bandtightened by a force other than the body weight(ligature strangulation); or an external pressureby hands, forearms or other limbs (manualstrangulation) which all practical purposes isalways homicidal.

Hanging in its face goes in favor ofsuicidal in nature. In throttling, the upper part ofthe neck is mostly affected and the pressure isexerted there against the mandible.

The neck may be compressed from thefront, back or from any side and one or bothhands may be used. [2]

The situation and extent of bruised areaover neck will depend upon relative positions ofvictim and assailant, manner of grasping neckand degree of pressure applied upon throat.

This linear or crecentric marks producedby the fingernails are occasionally present, if thefinger tips are pressed deeply in to the softtissue of neck.[3] On internal examination ofneck,hemorrhages in sub cutaneous tissues andmuscles underlying the nail marks are less ascompared to that below skin contusion producedby finger pad.

According to Sirohiwal BL in one study[4] differentiating in between hanging andstrangulation is an age old problem. Muchdepends on observations made by theinvestigating officer. An exhaustive examination

of the scene of crime, ligature material,placement of ligature mark over the neck andother associated findings go a long way indeciding the issue. With a careful study of theligature material, ligature mark, and theircomparative study made it possible to concludepositively that it was a case of strangulationfabricated as a hanging in this study.

In this case, mis-leading history given bythe deceased’s wife and inconclusive preliminaryinvestigation by police along with minimalinjuries visible over neck, a homicide can beeasily disguised over post-mortem suicidal

hanging before post-mortem examination.But findings, in this autopsy includedcresentric abrasions, contusion over neck andhemorrhages in sub cutaneous tissues andmuscles which strongly suggesting manualstrangulation with subsequent immediatehanging of the dead body to create a scene ofhanging.

As in post-mortem hanging, often avictim is killed by some other means and thenhanged to simulate a suicidal death but there willbe evidence of dragging of the body on theground and friction at the point of suspension ofthe ligature material, as the ligature is first tiedaround the neck of the dead body and then thebody is hanged but the actual cause of deathand other circumstantial evidence will make thefact (post-mortem hanging) clear. [5]

This method is employed when thevictim is an infant, a child or woman. Healthyadults can be throttled only when they are underthe influence of drugs or other intoxicants, arestunned or the attack is sudden. [6] Also in thiscase, the wife later on admitted to the police


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that, she killed her husband due to domesticviolence on her by alcoholic addict husband.

In the cases of death due to violentasphyxia, sometimes there are fabricated orsupposed allegations by the relatives of thedeceased or, the investigating agencies registercriminal case under pressure or on merestatement without prior investigation or, due toatypical nature and appearance of the ligaturemarks on the dead body, the autopsy surgeon isnot in a state to clearly give opinion onpostmortem examination.

Under such situations, the autopsysurgeons need not act in haste and must giveample time to the investigating agencies forcomplete and thorough investigation of the caseand then only a final opinion should be givenabout the nature, mode and cause of death.References:1. Sauvageau A., Boghossian E. Classification of asphyxia; The

need for standardization; J. Forensic Sci.; 2010; 55; 1259-67.2. Bhullar D, Aggarwal K, Aggarwal A, Goyal A, Sangwan G. Death due to constriction of neck- A case report, Journal of Punjab

Academy of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology; 2013;13(2),93-96.3. Modi’s , Medical Jurisprudence and Toxicology, Twenty-third Edition

2005;p 578.4. Sirohiwal B. L., Paliwal P. K., Bharat Bhushan Yadav D.R . A

Case Of strangulation fabricated as hanging. Anil aggarwal’sinternet journal of forensic medicine and toxicology,2001,Vol 2No.2(July –December 2001)

5. Nandy A. Principles of Forensic Medicine, Edition 2005; p 319-327.6. Dixit P.C. Textbook of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology; Edition

2007; p. 294, 300.

Fig. 1: Cresentric Abrasions and Contusionover Neck

Fig. 2: Infiltration of Blood under Contusion

Fig. 3: Infiltration of Blood in Soft Tissues ofNeck

homicide disguised by suicide

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