Extended suicide, or homicide followed by suicide

A comparison of patterns of injuries between homicides and cases of dyadic death was performed. In 195 homicides, 139 deceased (71%) showed exclusively one type of trauma (mainly gunshot wounds) whereas two and even three types of trauma were detectable in 45 (23%) and 11 (6%) of the cases, respectively. In contrast, 18 out of 20 victims of dyadic death (90%) showed one type of injury (mainly gunshot wounds) and only two victims showed two types of injury. Even though different methods of killing seem to be unusual in dyadic death, even in cases with more than one victim and evidence of different types of injuries, such features cannot provide reliable information useful for a differentiation between homicide and extended suicide.

Download Full-text

Extended suicide

Oxford Textbook of Suicidology and Suicide Prevention ◽

10.1093/med/9780198834441.003.0016 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 113-116

Author(s):

David Lester

Keyword(s):

Suicide Rate ◽

Social Behaviour ◽

Family Members ◽

Serial Killers ◽

High Suicide Rate ◽

Extended Suicide

Analyses of individuals choosing to die in suicide pacts and by groups of people in mass suicides are presented. Those involved appear to differ demographically and psychologically from suicides acting alone. In addition, examples of murderers who died by suicide after killing are presented, including mass murderers who have a high suicide rate and serial killers who have a much lower suicide rate than do mass murderers. In other cases, individuals chose suicide after murdering family members, sometimes in mercy killings but often after murdering family members. Today people appear to want company in death, and why suicide pacts, even between strangers, are becoming more common. Suicide is increasingly moving from being a solitary act to becoming a social behaviour.

Download Full-text

Extended suicide

Oxford Textbook of Suicidology and Suicide Prevention ◽

10.1093/med/9780198570059.003.0022 ◽

2009 ◽

pp. 134-136

Author(s):

David Lester

Keyword(s):

Extended Suicide

Download Full-text

Criteria for homicide and suicide on victims of extended suicide due to sharp force injury

Forensic Science International ◽

10.1016/s0379-0738(03)00139-7 ◽

2003 ◽

Vol 134 (2-3) ◽

pp. 142-146 ◽

Cited By ~ 21

Author(s):

A. Dettling ◽

L. Althaus ◽

H.-Th. Haffner

Keyword(s):

Extended Suicide ◽

Sharp Force ◽

Sharp Force Injury

Download Full-text

Extended suicide: Public tragedy

Criminal Behaviour and Mental Health ◽

10.1002/cbm.2050 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 27 (5) ◽

pp. 389-394

Author(s):

Carla Maden

Keyword(s):

Extended Suicide

Download Full-text

Homicide D'Enfant Commis Par la Mère

The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry ◽

10.1177/070674379504000306 ◽

1995 ◽

Vol 40 (3) ◽

pp. 142-149 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

D. Marleau Jacques ◽

Renée Roy ◽

Line Laporte ◽

Thierry Webanck ◽

Bernard Poulin

Keyword(s):

Personality Disorder ◽

Social Workers ◽

Depressive Episode ◽

Family Physicians ◽

Psychiatric History ◽

Socioeconomic Environment ◽

Extended Suicide ◽

Using Data ◽

Severe Personality Disorder

Using data gathered at the Institut Philippe Pinel in Montréal, we shall describe the sociodemographic and psychiatric profile of a sample of 17 women who have killed (n = 14) or attempted to kill (n = 3) one of their children. Our data indicate that women who have committed this type of offence generally come from a disadvantaged socioeconomic environment. Most have a psychiatric history (evaluation and/or hospitalization). Review of the offence demonstrates that most women do not use a weapon to kill their child; the preferred methods are strangulation or drowning. Most of these offences may be classified as extended suicide or altruistic acts. Several of the women present with a severe personality disorder and an additional depressive episode in the context of the offence. We hope our study will help clarify understanding of filicide and assist in the development of certain prevention axes. These results indicate that the population at large and various intervenors in our society (family physicians, psychiatrists, criminologists, social workers, pediatricians, psychologists, gynecologists) must become increasingly vigilant and avoid trivialization of signals such as verbalization of homicidal thoughts about the child or recourse to certain disorganized behaviours.

Download Full-text