CASE REPORT

Complex suicide with black powder muzzle loading derringer

Petr Hejna • Miroslav Safr • Lenka Zatopkova •

Lubos Straka

Accepted: 4 December 2011 / Published online: 8 January 2012

� Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2012

Abstract Planned complex suicide is defined as the

combination of more than one method of suicide, previ-

ously planned by the victim, to prevent failure of the first

method. Herein, we present a case of planned complex

suicide, committed by a black powder muzzle loading

handgun and hanging. A 39-year-old man was found dead

in the bathroom of his flat, hanging by the neck with a huge

atypical gunshot entrance in the right temporal region of

his head with extensive backspatter. The skin defects, as

well as soft tissues in the subcutaneous pocket undermin-

ing, were heavily burnt. Along the wound canal were

multiple bone fragments, and at the end of the path at the

left temple was an embedded lead ogival projectile with a

cross shaped artificial incision at its tip. The hanging was

incomplete. There were no fractures of the hyoid bone and

laryngeal cartilages. Cervical muscles and vessels were

intact. Simon’s sign was negative. Signs of asphyxia were

not present. This is the first reported case of complex sui-

cide with a black powder derringer and manipulated

projectile.

Keywords Complex suicide � Gunshot wound �Black powder handgun � Derringer � Manipulated

projectile � Hanging

Introduction

The term complex suicide (or ‘‘combined suicide’’) refers to

suicides in which more than one suicide method is applied

either simultaneously or successively (one after the other) [1,

2]. In complex suicides, a distinction is made between

planned (primary combined) and unplanned (secondary

combined) complex suicides. In a planned complex suicide,

two or more suicide methods are applied simultaneously.

Planned combinations are chosen to ensure or accelerate

death, to prevent self-rescuing attempts or to avoid pain by

using two (or seldom more) methods of suicide [2]. In

unplanned combinations, the methods are not put into action

simultaneously: only when the method chosen first proves to

be unsuitable, painful or too slow is another method of sui-

cide employed. In total, both types of complex suicide

account for 1.5–5% of all completed suicides [2–4]. A review

of the current relevant literature was recently published by

Bohnert and Pollak [5]. The most frequent combination of

methods in victims of planned complex suicides consisted of

hanging, along with firearm use [2, 4, 6–8]. Herein, we

present a case of planned complex suicide committed by a

black powder muzzle loading percussion handgun loaded

with a manipulated projectile, and hanging. According to

recent medico-legal literature, the use of double barreled

black powder derringer with a manipulated projectile in a

complex suicide has not been yet recorded.

Case report

Nature of the crime scene

A 39-year-old man was discovered dead in the bathroom of

his house, hanging by the neck with a conspicuous atypical

P. Hejna (&) � M. Safr � L. Zatopkova

Institute of Legal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine in Hradec

Kralove, Charles University in Prague, Simkova 870,

500 38 Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic

e-mail: hejnap@lfhk.cuni.cz

L. Straka

Institute of Legal Medicine and Medico-legal Expertises,

Jessenius Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University,

Martin, Slovac republic

123

Forensic Sci Med Pathol (2012) 8:296–300

DOI 10.1007/s12024-011-9304-z

gunshot entrance wound in the right temporal region

(Figs. 1, 2). A black powder percussion double barreled

handgun was found on his left thigh (Fig. 1). The hanging

was incomplete—the victim was found in sitting position

with the head and trunk supported by a wall. A suicide note

was stuck on the victim’s right thigh.

Examination of the body

The deceased was 183.5 cm tall and weighed approxi-

mately 75 kg. Autopsy findings included a large atypical

entry wound situated in the right temporal area. The wound

defect of the skin had an oval-shaped character with pro-

portions of 8 9 5 cm. The edges of the entry wound were

blackish and intensively burnt (Fig. 3). An amply subcu-

taneous pocket-like undermining, with plentiful soot and

black powder deposits, was located in the soft tissues of the

right temple. The multiple deposits of soot were also

detected in close vicinity to the entry defect. The right

temporal bone showed an irregular perforation 2 cm in

diameter. The surrounding area of the bony defect of the

right temporal bone showed sooting at the outer as well as

inner plate. An X-ray examination confirmed the presence

of a large contrast projectile in the soft subcutaneous tis-

sues of the left temple. The left temporal bone showed a

circular perforation 1.5 cm in diameter. Multiple radial

fracture lines originated from these bony defects and

stretched across the vault and the base of the skull. The

anterior cranial fossa showed multiple indirect fractures.

The bullet path passed from the right to the left side of

the head, slightly backward, without height deviations. The

projectile perforated the squama of the right temporal bone,

the tissue of the right and left frontal lobes of brain, the

squama of left temporal bone and embedded in the soft

tissues area of the left temple (Fig. 4). The extracted pro-

jectile was a lead ogive1 (11 9 16 mm; 12.4 g) with cross

etch at the tip and showed minimal shape deformation

(Fig. 5). Approx. 3 mm from the bottom of the projectile, a

peripheral lubrication groove containing a lubricant was

found at the cylindrical part of the projectile. An artificial

etch was revealed at the front ogive part of the projectile.

Tool marks discovered inside the etch suggest that this

groove originated from a multiple pushing of a further

unidentified instrument with a sharp edge and that it was

created for the purpose of intensifying the wounding effect.

Upon examination of the neck, a single, approximately

10 mm wide, furrow was present, which completely

encircled the neck. The ligature knot was situated in the

right part of the neck just below the right auricle. The skin

and subcutaneous soft tissue in the area of the ligature mark

were yellow–brown, dry, and rigid because of desiccation.

Hemorrhages at the clavicular origin of the sternocleido-

mastoid muscles were not detected. The cervical vessels

Fig. 1 The bathroom where a man was found dead. On the victim’s

left thigh was found a black powder percussion double barreled

derringer (yellow arrow)

Fig. 2 The male was found dead in sitting position, hanging by the

neck with the atypical entrance wound in the right temple

Fig. 3 The conspicuous atypical entrance wound in the righttemporal region showing huge soot soiling

1 Ogive, also ogival, means that head of the used projectile had the

shape of a Gothic or pointed arch.

Forensic Sci Med Pathol (2012) 8:296–300 297

123

were entirely intact. There were no fractures of the hyoid

bone and laryngeal cartilages. Simon’s sign was negative

and signs of asphyxia were not present. The total weight of

the lungs was 680 g. Both hands showed multiple blood

stains and the right hand showed extensive soot.

The blood ethanol concentration was 1.60 g/kg. Toxi-

cological analyses showed no traces of legal or illegal

drugs. The immediate cause of death was attributed to

extensive brain injury caused by the bullet’s penetration

into the cranial cavity. Following the completion of the

investigation and autopsy, the death was classified as a

suicide. The motive for suicide was divorce from his wife.

Technical ballistic expertise of the firing mechanism

The used handgun contained two rifled barrels placed over

and under. Both barrels were screwed into the handgun

frame and, at the muzzle, were joined with a socket which

formed a part of the prism sight on the upper side (Fig. 6).

The barrel rifling was right/clockwise with six grooves and

lands. At the rear part of the pistol frame, two parallel

primer pistons were screwed next to each other: the left

piston was connected to the upper barrel, the right one to

the lower barrel. The trigger mechanism was a single-

action type (SA), while the striking mechanism with one

hammer was fitted with a manual selector containing a

primer recess which served for selecting initiation of either

left or the right primer (of the upper or the lower barrel).

A ballistic expert performed a disassembly of the lower

barrel. It contained a hand loaded projectile of the same

type as the projectile recovered during the autopsy. The

projectile was homogeneous, ogive, lead and weighed

12.3 g with a peripheral lubrication groove near the bottom

of the projectile (.45 caliber). No marks indicating modi-

fications to increase wounding effect were found on the

projectile. Below the projectile a paper wad was found,

underneath which a portion of the propellant charge of

black powder (approx. 2 g) was revealed, whereas the

maximum service charge prescribed by the manufacturer

was 1.5 g of black powder. Thus, the fired upper barrel

probably contained a greater powder charge, as shown by

the characteristics of the gunshot wound discovered during

the autopsy. Ballistic experts performed test shots using

identical ammunition components. During the test firing,

no malfunction was detected i.e: the handgun was fully

functional.

Fig. 4 The embedded projectile in the soft tissues area of the lefttemple

Fig. 5 The extracted ogive projectile with cross etch of the tip

Fig. 6 The handgun used– black powder muzzle loading double-

barreled derringer

298 Forensic Sci Med Pathol (2012) 8:296–300

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Discussion

The use of black powder handguns has been reported rarely

in cases of suicide [9–12], homicide [10, 11, 13, 14] and

accidents [15]. Injuries caused by black powder handguns

(historical guns or their replicas) are specific due to the

properties of the black gun powder (sodium or potassium

nitrate, charcoal and sulfur) such has slow and incomplete

combustion [11, 16]. In contact shooting, the entrance

wound usually has a broad collar of intensive burning and

fouling [11, 12] as well as a sizeable soot cavity (pocket-

like undemining) with abundant deposits of soot and gun-

powder within soft tissue.

The entrance wound originating from close range shoot-

ing is typically characterized by a black intensive sooting in

its vicinity, where numerous burnt and unburnt deposits of

gunpowder are seen [11]. The range of discharged residues is

greater, and the powder particles tend to penetrate deeper

into the dermis and frequently cause burns and very intensive

powder tattooing. In contact and close range shots, the soft

tissue and clothing around the entrance wound also almost

invariably sustain thermal damage. The wounds may have a

characteristic sulfurous odor and the soot deposits a yel-

lowish color [11].

Lead projectiles used most frequently for black powder

handguns are often spherical or short ogive-shaped and are

fabricated by casting into molds by foundry tongs. An

irregular shape, surface imperfections (risers, so-called,

‘‘wings’’), uneven weight distribution of the projectile, and

often a smooth barrel rifling in these handguns lead to a

significant instability of the ogive in projectile trajectory

[17]. The projectiles have lower muzzle velocities, but

usually greater caliber and weight [11, 17].

Injuries caused by black powder percussion handguns

are very often characterized by extensive and devastating

damage to affected tissues and structures despite the low

muzzle velocities. Projectile fragmentation is very com-

mon and may occur either when passing down the barrel or

after hitting the obstacle. Projectile fragmentation may lead

to an atypically shaped entrance wound, multiple entrance

wounds, or greater extent of the injury caused by secondary

projectiles; fragmentation may also mimic powder tattoo-

ing. Also, traces of a paper case (if is used) or a wad may

appear in the wound.

In complex suicides, where two previously planned

methods are employed simultaneously, hanging is usually

one of them [2, 4, 8]. In our case, typical internal neck

injuries related to hanging, Simon’s sign [18] as well as the

signs of asphyxia were completely absent. Regarding the

autopsy findings, the injury pattern indicates which of the

used suicidal methods was dominant. The gunshot injury to

the victim’s head was immediately fatal and hanging was

only the final (‘‘postmortem’’) step of the suicidal act.

In our presented case, the extraordinary large entrance

wound with extensive back spatter could be fully explained

by special ballistic features of the used projectile (artificial

incision of the projectile ogive) and by loading with a

higher amount of black powder. The effect was further

intensified by an inadequate length of the firing system

barrel with regards to the ballistic performance of the used

black powder load.

Key points

1. The combination of hanging and gunshot injury is the

most common arrangement involved in primary com-

plex suicides.

2. Injuries and fatalities resulting from the use of black

powder handguns are relatively rare compared to other

firearms.

3. Black powder weapons produce entrance wounds with

extensive sooting and powder tattooing (in close range

and intermediate range shooting).

4. The wounds from black powder firearms may have a

characteristic sulfurous odor and the soot deposits may

have a yellowish color.

5. The atypical morphology of the entrance wound with

extensive back spatter in this presented case was

conditioned by the excessively short barrel of the

derringer, a higher amount of black powder charge and

by artificial incision of the projectile ogive.

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