Suicide by Extraordinarily Numerous Blade Wounds

Abstract

A 42-year-old man with a history of suicidal ideation, was found dead in his garage, with over 54 stab wounds and with multiple cuts. The house was locked and the bay door of the attached garage was closed when his live-in girlfriend arrived home and found him. The scene was bloody and a knife was beside the body. Multiple stab wounds involved the neck and the left pectoral region of the chest, and a single stab wound involved the epigastrium. Incised wounds involved the neck and upper extremities. The head, back, genitalia, and lower extremities had no wounds. The blood smears and spatters in the garage, including a bloody footprint, all were attributable to the decedent. The combined consideration of the history, circumstances, and autopsy findings clearly pointed to self-infliction as the manner of death. Most reported cases of suicide by blade involve fewer than 15 stab wounds. This case report, with a brief review of the literature, underscores the concept that multiplicity of stab wounds does not preclude the diagnosis of suicide.