Citation

Alunni V, Grevin G, Buchet L, Gaillard Y, Quatrehomme G. Forensic Sci. Int. 2014; 244: e30-3.

Affiliation

Laboratoire de Médecine Légale et d'Anthropologie médico-légale, Université de Nice Sophia Antipolis, Faculté de Médecine, 28 Avenue de Valombrose, 06107 Nice Cedex 2, France. Electronic address: quatrehomme.g@chu-nice.fr.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2014, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.forsciint.2014.08.030

PMID

25238968

Abstract

We present a surprising case of suicide by self-immolation. A surveillance camera filmed the victim's agony. We were able to ascertain that he survived 13min after ignition. This case was the starting point for a review of the literature of the forensic elements required to correctly analyze cases of suicide by self-immolation and to establish the causal link between the burn lesions and death. The authors will focus on the forensic and medical aspects in favor of suicide by self-immolation and on the forensic aspects required to understand the ignition process, the circumstances surrounding the fire with a particular emphasis on determining whether an accelerant was doused on the victim before ignition.

Language: en