Bizarre suicide by handsaw: A case report

Abstract

Suicides involving any kind of saw are rare events. The use of handsaws in particular is even more exceptional. Forensic literature indicates that self-inflicted injuries using these instruments are most often found in men, frequently suffering from psychiatric pathologies, and with a history of previous suicidal attempts. Furthermore, the most common locations for such injuries are the head and neck. This paper focuses on the case of a 76-year-old man with a history of psychiatric disease, found dead at home together with a suicide note and a handsaw. Post mortem exam revealed sharp wounds in the anterior face of the neck, with an irregular section of the muscles, thyroid, trachea, and left internal jugular vein. Further satellite wounds were consistent with hesitation injuries. After a thorough investigation of the scene and considering the results of the autopsy as well as other ancillary analysis, the cause of death was determined as traumatic neck injuries and the case classified as a suicide. By reporting this highly unusual case, the authors intend to highlight the complexity associated with diagnosing such occurrences, mainly in determining the mode of death and aim at helping future pathologists when facing similar circumstances.

Keywords

• Suicide
• Handsaw
• Cut wounds
• Neck injuries