Three Cases of Planned Complex Suicide

Korean J Leg Med 2019;43:159-163

Investigation Department, Gyeongbuk Provincial Police Agency, Andong, Korea,

Department of Forensic Medicine, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Korea

E-mail: sanghan1@knu.ac.kr

Complex suicide refers to a type of suicide that leads to death using two or more methods. We report three cases of unique and rare examples of complex suicide, with the plan of the second and/or third method working simultaneously if the first suicidal attempt had failed. In the first case, the victim used three methods of asphyxia: hanging by a safety belt, plastic bag suffocation, and self-ligature strangulation by stretching rubber bands within the vehicle. In the second case, the victim hanged himself with electrocution by attaching electrical leads to the right side of his head. In the third case, the victim with the intention of drowning jumped 20 m above the water surface

on the bridge by tying metal chains to the bridge rail and self-immolation by gasoline. Planned complex suicide involves more successful methods to commit suicide and may conversely be camouflaged as suicide in murder case.

Key Words: Planned suicide; Complex suicide; Asphyxia