Homicide by Hanging: a Comprehensive Review of Published Literature
Abstract
Homicide by hanging is a rare incident and, in contrast to suicidal hanging cases, only limited number of homicidal hanging cases have been reported. This comprehensive review is conducted to summarize the published forensic pathology evidence in homicide by hanging. A systematic search in five journal databases resulted in 12 case reports. All articles passed the selection criteria and were appraised using JBI critical appraisal worksheet for case reports. Fourteen victims were reported which in most of the cases psychosocial background were reported. Household conflict was the common background. Reef knot was the majority knot being used. The autopsy findings vary in the studies, some of which reported intact larynx, thyroid, and hyoid cartilage. Only one case mentioned thyroid cartilage fracture. In addition to the ligature mark, other violence findings include bruises, abrasions, stab wounds, and sexual violence. Toxicological analysis was limited, only 3 case reports reported alcohol in the victim’s serum. There are no distinguishing features in the external or internal neck injuries attributable to homicidal hanging. A thorough autopsy and holistic approach should be considered. They are including demographic characteristics, location of the victim, social and psychiatric history, ligature’s characteristic, signs of violence and toxicological analysis.
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References
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[24] Abeyasinghe N, Fernando R, Niranjan S (2009) Homicide of six family members using multiple methods in Sri Lanka. J Forensic Leg Med 16:486–488. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jflm.2009.07.007
[25] Godin A, Kremer C, Sauvageau A (2012) Fracture of the cricoid as a potential pointer to homicide. A 6-year retrospective study of neck structures fractures in hanging victims. Am J Forensic Med Pathol 33:4–7. https://doi.org/10.1097/paf.0b013e3181d3dc24
[26] Travis LW, Olson NR, Melvin JW, Snyder RG (1975) Static and dynamic impact trauma of the human larynx. Trans Sect Otolaryngol Am Acad Ophthalmol Otolaryngol 80:382–390
[27] Sundal JA, Mæhle BO, Eide GE, Morild I (2020) Petechial Hemorrhages in Suicide by Hanging: Possible Contributing Variables in Petechial Development. Am J Forensic Med Pathol 41:90–96. https://doi.org/10.1097/PAF.0000000000000541
[28] Clément R, Guay J-P, Sauvageau A (2011) Fracture of the neck structures in suicidal hangings: a retrospective study on contributing variables. Forensic Sci Int 207:122–126. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.forsciint.2010.09.016
[29] Leth P, Vesterby A (1997) Homicidal hanging masquerading as suicide. Forensic Sci Int 85:65–71. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0379-0738(96)02082-8
[30] San Nicolas AC, Lemos NP (2015) Toxicology findings in cases of hanging in the City and County of San Francisco over the 3-year period from 2011 to 2013. Forensic Sci Int 255:146–155. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.forsciint.2015.07.006
[2] Reisch T, Hartmann C, Hemmer A, Bartsch C (2019) Suicide by hanging: Results from a national survey in Switzerland and its implications for suicide prevention. PLoS One 14:e0220508. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0220508
[3] Monsef Kasmaee V, Zohrevandi B, Asadi P, Shakouri N (2015) Non-Judicial Hanging in Guilan Province, Iran between 2011 and 2013. Emergency 3:155–158
[4] Kosky RJ, Dundas P (2000) Death by hanging: implications for prevention of an important method of youth suicide. Aust N Z J Psychiatry 34:836–841. https://doi.org/10.1080/j.1440-1614.2000.00807.x
[5] Vijayakumari N (2011) Suicidal hanging: A prospective study. J Indian Acad Forensic Med 33:355–357
[6] Bastia BK, Kar N (2009) A psychological autopsy study of suicidal hanging from Cuttack, India: focus on stressful life situations. Arch suicide Res 13:100–104. https://doi.org/10.1080/13811110802572221
[7] Doberentz E, Markwerth P, Madea B (2019) Differentiation of homicidal or suicidal strangulation. Forensic Sci Int 301:e44–e48. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.forsciint.2019.05.058
[8] Abouhashem AA, Bataw SM, Hegazy NI, Ibrahim OY (2020) Suicidal, Homicidal and Accidental Hanging: Comparative Cross Sectional Study in Aljabal Alakhdar Area, Libya. Zagazig J Forensic Med 18:126–139. https://doi.org/10.21608/zjfm.2019.18108.1039
[9] Reddy K, Murty O (2014) The Essentials of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, 33rd ed. Jaypee Brothers Medical Publisher, New Delhi
[10] Cordner S, Clay FJ, Bassed R, Thomsen AH (2020) Suicidal ligature strangulation: a systematic review of the published literature. Forensic Sci Med Pathol 16:123–133. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12024-019-00187-2
[11] Saukko P, Knight B (2016) Knight’s Forensic Pathology, 4th ed. CRC Press, Boca Raton
[12] Joanna Briggs Institute (2017) Checklist for Case Reports. Joanna Briggs Institute, Adelaide
[13] Monticelli FC, Brandtner H, Kunz SN, Keller T, Neuhuber F (2015) Homicide by hanging: A case report and its forensic-medical aspects. J Forensic Leg Med 33:71–75. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jflm.2015.04.006
[14] Zummerova A, Sidlo J, Kuruc R, Valent D, Kovac P, Zdarílek M (2015) The analysis of dyadic deaths. Soud Lek 60:14–16
[15] du Plessis M, Hlaise KK (2012) Homicide-suicide (dyadic death): a case study of double hanging. Am J Forensic Med Pathol 33:262–264. https://doi.org/10.1097/PAF.0b013e3182186f67
[16] Sharma L, Khanagwal VP, Paliwal PK (2011) Homicidal hanging. Leg Med (Tokyo) 13:259–261. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.legalmed.2011.05.009
[17] Lew EO (1988) Homicidal hanging in a dyadic death. Am J Forensic Med Pathol 9:283–286. https://doi.org/10.1097/00000433-198812000-00002
[18] Vieira DN, Pinto AE, Sá FO (1988) Homicidal hanging. Am J Forensic Med Pathol 9:287–289. https://doi.org/10.1097/00000433-198812000-00003
[19] Cooke CT, Cadden GA, Hilton JM (1988) Unusual hanging deaths. Am J Forensic Med Pathol 9:277–282. https://doi.org/10.1097/00000433-198812000-00001
[20] Geisenberger D, Pollak S, Thierauf-Emberger A (2019) Homicidal strangulation and subsequent hanging of the victim to simulate suicide: Delayed elucidation based on reassessment of the autopsy findings. Forensic Sci Int 298:419–423. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.forsciint.2019.02.037
[21] Ruwanpura R, Ariyaratne C (2010) A homicide by suspension. Med Sci Law 50:224–227. https://doi.org/10.1258/msl.2010.010028
[22] Behera C, Rautji R, Sikary AK, Kumar R, Vidua RK, Millo T, Gupta SK (2015) Triple hanging in filicide-suicide: an unusual case report. Med Sci Law 55:50–53. https://doi.org/10.1177/0025802414524951
[23] Sieswerda-Hoogendoorn T, Strik AS, Hilgersom NFJ, Soerdjbalie-Maikoe V, van Rijn RR (2014) Pneumomediastinum and soft tissue emphysema in pediatric hanging. J Forensic Sci 59:559–563. https://doi.org/10.1111/1556-4029.12315
[24] Abeyasinghe N, Fernando R, Niranjan S (2009) Homicide of six family members using multiple methods in Sri Lanka. J Forensic Leg Med 16:486–488. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jflm.2009.07.007
[25] Godin A, Kremer C, Sauvageau A (2012) Fracture of the cricoid as a potential pointer to homicide. A 6-year retrospective study of neck structures fractures in hanging victims. Am J Forensic Med Pathol 33:4–7. https://doi.org/10.1097/paf.0b013e3181d3dc24
[26] Travis LW, Olson NR, Melvin JW, Snyder RG (1975) Static and dynamic impact trauma of the human larynx. Trans Sect Otolaryngol Am Acad Ophthalmol Otolaryngol 80:382–390
[27] Sundal JA, Mæhle BO, Eide GE, Morild I (2020) Petechial Hemorrhages in Suicide by Hanging: Possible Contributing Variables in Petechial Development. Am J Forensic Med Pathol 41:90–96. https://doi.org/10.1097/PAF.0000000000000541
[28] Clément R, Guay J-P, Sauvageau A (2011) Fracture of the neck structures in suicidal hangings: a retrospective study on contributing variables. Forensic Sci Int 207:122–126. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.forsciint.2010.09.016
[29] Leth P, Vesterby A (1997) Homicidal hanging masquerading as suicide. Forensic Sci Int 85:65–71. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0379-0738(96)02082-8
[30] San Nicolas AC, Lemos NP (2015) Toxicology findings in cases of hanging in the City and County of San Francisco over the 3-year period from 2011 to 2013. Forensic Sci Int 255:146–155. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.forsciint.2015.07.006
Published
2023-06-30
How to Cite
SAFITRY, Oktavinda et al.
Homicide by Hanging: a Comprehensive Review of Published Literature.
Indonesian Journal of Legal and Forensic Sciences (IJLFS), [S.l.], v. 13, n. 1, p. 1 - 12, june 2023.
ISSN 2657-0815.
Available at: <https://ojs.unud.ac.id/index.php/ijlfs/article/view/92279>. Date accessed: 04 july 2024.
doi: https://doi.org/10.24843/IJLFS.2023.v13.i01.p01.
Section
Articles
