TY - JOUR PY - 2017// TI - Homicide-suicide: postmortem study from the Institute of Legal Medicine in Frankfurt/Main from 1994 to 2014 JO - Rechtsmedizin: Organ der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Rechtsmedizin A1 - Siems, A. A1 - Flaig, B. A1 - Ackermann, H. A1 - Verhoff, M. A. A1 - Parzeller, M. SP - 175 EP - 184 VL - 27 IS - 3 N2 - Background: Extended suicide (also known as homicide-suicide) is an incident in which the perpetrator kills one or more people against their will and subsequently commits suicide. Victim and offender are often in a close relationship. In the case of a failed suicide, the offender has to anticipate extensive penal consequences (§ 211 ff. of the German criminal code).

OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to analyze homicide-suicide cases that occurred during a 21-year period (1994-2014) and to gain further information about the background of these incidents. Material and methods In a retrospective study, 58 cases of homicide-suicide investigated at the Institute of Legal Medicine, Goethe University in Frankfurt/Main, Germany were analyzed. Information about the incidents was obtained from the autopsy reports and from prosecution investigation files, as far as these were provided in accordance with data protection regulations. A literature survey and a homicide-suicide classification system were conducted and descriptive and statistical data analyses were performed.

RESULTS In 58 cases a total of 74 victims were involved in which 93% of the offenders were male and 7% female. Of the victims 76% were female, 20% male and 4% remained unknown. Victims involved 17 children and 66% of the incidents included a spouse or intimate partner relationship. In 71% the crime scene took place in the domestic environment. The main triggering factors of the acts were marriage conflicts and financial problems. In 57% of the cases shooting was the method of choice.

CONCLUSION Due to the severity and consequences of the act, the term homicide-suicide rather than extended suicide should be employed in German linguistic usage because it is a homicide with subsequent suicide. The emphasis should be placed on the development of prevention.

Language: en

LA - en SN - 0937-9819 UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00194-017-0161-2 ID - ref1 ER -