Herman the Shocker

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Fig.1 This decomposing individual died of natural causes while sitting in a warm tub.

This individual died of natural causes while in a warm tub

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This decomposing individual died of natural causes while sitting in a warm tub. Note the bloating from putrefactive…
Fig.1 Head and face were decapitated at C1 to C2 cervical vertebra with partial presence of scalp tissue of posterior aspect present with margins of the wound abraded and contused.

An accidental decapitation resulting from head protruding out of bus

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India. A 24-year-old woman was traveling in a bus with her child and husband, she was seated on…
Fig.1 Right lateral view of the victim’s body in the bag showing a pair of red boxing gloves.

Autoerotic death inside a plastic bag with boxing gloves

| Accident, Asphyxiation, Autoerotic Death | No Comments
Canada. A 34-year-old was found dead in his secured apartment. The body, clad only in underwear, was completely…

The Shocker no.37 is out

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Fig.1 Abrasions from belt holes.

Abrasions from belt holes

| Asphyxiation, Suicide | No Comments
Holes in the belt result in abrasions from the fabric around the hole in a case of suicide.…
Fig.1

Shotgun wound through the neck

| Gunshot, Homicide | No Comments
Contact-range discharge to the left side of the neck (12 G shotgun, homicide). (left image) Exit site on…
Fig.1 Multiple homicidal stab and incised wounds inflicted with various kitchen utensils.

Homicidal stab wounds inflicted with kitchen utensils

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This individual was murdered and stabbed with various kitchen utensils, no further info about this case. The general…
Fig.1 Self-inflicted gunshot wound to the forehead with a shotgun

Self-inflicted gunshot wound to the forehead with a shotgun

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Germany. Self-inflicted gunshot to the forehead with a shotgun. The scalp is torn open in several long stretches;…
Fig.1 Anterior view of the pilot’s head showing comminuted compound fracturing of the cranial vault with extrusion of cerebral contents.

Pilot and passenger died when their aircraft dived straight into the ground

| Accident, Aircrash | No Comments
An elderly male pilot was flying a microlight aircraft with one middle-aged male passenger in the rear of…
Fig.2 The man spent hours preparing for his events. This included makeup, female undergarments & outerwear. The mucous and protruding tongue are consistent with asphyxial death.

Autoerotic Death at the Weight Bench

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Hobbs, New Mexico, USA. This was the view that the arriving police officers had when they responded to…

The Shocker no.37 is out

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Fatal Crocodile Attack

| Accident, Animal Scavenging | No Comments
Australia. The remains of an adult male found in a river after a crocodile attack. The head had…
Fig.1 Dead soldier after battle with guerillas.

Dead soldier after battle with guerillas

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El Salvador, 1984. Dead soldier after battle with guerillas. The Salvadoran Civil War was a twelve-year civil war in El Salvador that was…
Fig.1 View of victim in his bedroom with massive head trauma from self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head.

Massive head trauma from self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head

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Wausau, Wisconsin, USA. This individual shot himself in the head with an upward trajectory. The man was determined…
Fig.1 Scene photograph showing the victim in a collapsed lawn chair in the middle of the backyard of his rural residence, with notable absence of the head.

Suicide by Bomb, with Decapitation

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Mishawaka, Indiana, US. In the fall of 2011, the badly injured body of a 65-year-old male was found…
Fig.1 Man crushed by concrete culvert.

Man crushed by concrete culvert

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This 55 year old male was fatally crushed by a concrete culvert. He suffered from compound skull fractures,…
Fig.1 Anterior view of the head showing the advanced stage of decomposition.

Male individual located at home in an advanced state of decomposition

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Australia. This middle aged male individual was located at home in an advanced state of decomposition. Postmortem CT…
Fig.1 Scene where the corpse was found with the system employed.

Autoerotic death self-induced fatal air embolism

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Brazil. A 38-year-old man was found dead in his house, already in a state of decomposition, with no…

The Shocker no.36 is out

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Fig.1 Scene of autoerotic asphyxia.

Scene of autoerotic asphyxia

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This naked man was partially suspended by a dog collar around his neck. In the foreground is the…
Fig.1

Suicidal ligature strangulation utilizing cable ties

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This individual committed suicide by fastening cable ties around his neck, leading to suffocation. Each cable tie was…
Fig.1 Anterior view of the head showing extensive lacerations, comminuted skull, and facial fractures with extrusion of the brain.

High-energy, blunt-force trauma in a motor vehicle incident

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A middle-aged male was driving a semi-tractor with an attached trailer in heavy fog. On approaching a sharp…
Fig.1 Scene of death. View of the decapitated body in the vehicle through the luggage area.

Vehicle-Assisted Decapitation

| Suicide | No Comments
Czech Republic. The body of a 40-year-old man was found in a crashed passenger car. Upon closer inspection…
Fig.1

Woman dies from hand grenade injuries after a marital quarrel

| Accident, Explosion, Homicide | No Comments
1994 - Rheine, Germany. A Chinese hand grenade type 86 P (weight approx. 290 g, approx. 1600 steel…
Fig.1 The position of the masturbatory apparatus.

An unusual case of sudden death associated with masturbation

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The United Kingdom, ~1980s. The deceased was an unmarried 32-year-old computer programmer. He was found dead in his…

The Shocker no.36 is out

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Fig.1 Woman found decomposing after suicide.

Woman found decomposing after suicide

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This individual was found decomposed after a suicidal hanging. Suicidal hanging is a method of self-harm involving suspension…
Fig.1 The scene.

Suicide by decapitation using a tape saw

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Spain. The body of a 22-year-old man was found inside a metal workshop lying on the bench of…
Fig.1

Postmortem animal interference on a female corpse

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Postmortem animal depredation is a substantial part of the taphonomic processes a body undergoes after death and is…

Christmas is cancelled – Autoerotic death

| Accident, Asphyxiation, Autoerotic Death, Decomposition, Hanging | No Comments
A 52-year-old man was found dead, already putrefied, in his apartment. He wore women’s underwear with a female…
Fig.1 This victim shot himself under the chin with a shotgun creating this classic massive tissue destruction.

Massive head destruction from an under the chin shotgun suicide

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This victim shot himself under the chin with a shotgun creating this classic massive tissue destruction. No further…
Fig.1 Slashing lacerations on the face.

Slashing lacerations on the face

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Slashing lacerations on the face in a fatal attack often indicate a sharp-force injury caused by a bladed…
Fig.1 This woman committed suicide, note the raccoon eyes.

Raccoon eyes on a suicide victim

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This woman committed suicide with a gun under the chin, her finger was on the trigger when found,…
Fig.1

Maggots on a body

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Maggots are the larval form of flies. Flies lay their eggs in small and sometimes large bulky clusters…

The Shocker no.35 is out

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Fig.1 Victim of a small aircraft crash.

Victim of a small aircraft crash

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Ventral total body view. Note the destruction of all four extremities in contrast to the seemingly intact pelvic…
Fig.27 She loved monster trucks. She and her friends would go out and do quarter-mile racing, until the police chased them off

The murder of Aundria Crawford by Rex Krebs

| Homicide, Serial Killers | No Comments
On March 13, 1999, in San Luis Obispo, California, Aundria Crawford was reported missing by her mother. Aundria’s…

Scene of accidental ligature strangulation

| Accident, Asphyxiation | No Comments
This woman collapsed on the bathroom floor while under the influence of extremely large amounts of amitriptyline. Her…
Fig.1 Close up view of the anterior pelvis and thigh region showing amputation of the left leg.

Man jumped from the 28th floor of an apartment block

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This male individual jumped from the 28th floor of an apartment block and fell approximately 84 m (275…
Fig.1 Grazing shotgun wound.

Grazing shotgun wound

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The massive defect to this victim's face was caused by a .12-gauge rifled slug fired through the rear…
Fig.1 The body in the crime scene. Take note that the victim is secured four-point to the bed with ropes.

Man suffering from PTSD from the Iraq war wraps his head in plastic wrap

| Suicide | No Comments
City of Lacey, Washington, USA. Police were called to a hotel after employees discovered a deceased man locked…

The Shocker no.35 is out

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Fig.1

Reconstruction of crushing head injuries

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This 33-year-old man was riding his bicycle on the interstate highway when he was struck by a tractor-trailer.…
Fig.1 Overall location of the victim in the master bedroom.

Bloodstain investigation in suspicious death of a woman

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Police responded to a single-family residence. Upon arrival, they were met at the front door by the victim’s…

Devastating rifle wound to the head

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This 52-year-old man sustained an intermediate range rifle wound to the left side of his head from a…
Fig.1 Suicide with a knife

Suicide with a knife

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Russia. This individual committed suicide by cutting his neck with a knife, no further info. Cut throat injuries…
Fig.1 Decomposing woman in a bathtub.

Decomposing woman in a bathtub

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Woman’s body lying face down in a bathtub in an advanced state of decomposition and with no apparent…
Fig.1 Scene photo of parachutist at impact site.

Parachute Death in Southern Arizona

| Accident | No Comments
There was no further info with the images except that this happened in Southern Arizona. From a study…

The Shocker no.34 is out

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Fig.1

Fatal injuries from a hand grenade

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Fatal injuries from a hand grenade. A grenade is an explosive weapon typically thrown by hand (also called…

On Halloween Night, 1979, the Toolbox Killers Abducted Their Final Victim

| Homicide | No Comments
On Halloween night, 1979, at approximately 10:30 p.m. Lawrence Bittaker and Roy Norris abducted their final victim, 16-year-old…
Fig.1

Man killed while relaxing in a hammock

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Brazil. A man was shot multiple times in the head while relaxing in a hammock. Brazil has one…
Fig.1 The body in the screw conveyor.

Fatal accident in a screw conveyor

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Germany. A 57-year-old man was cleaning the silo of a wood chip heater when he was caught in…
Fig.1 Man was shot by police officers after a robbery.

Man was shot by police officers after a robbery

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Allegations of brutality at the hands of police are not infrequent in today’s litigious society. This young man…

The Shocker no.34 is out

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Fig.1

Man who skidded with his motorcycle

| Accident | No Comments
The body of a 21-year-old man who was witnessed to skid with his motorcycle and roll into a…
Fig.1 Suicide by medication and placing plastic bag.

Suicide by medication and placing plastic bag

| Asphyxiation, Suicide | No Comments
This individual committed suicide by ingesting excess prescription medication and placing a loosely fixed plastic bag over the…
Fig.1 A woman was found dead in her bed.

A woman was found dead in her bed

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A 58-year-old woman was found dead in her bed with blood emanating from her mouth. The blood was…
Fig.1 Open traumatic brain injury.

Helicopter pilot dies in a crash

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This helicopter pilot died after his helicopter crashed. He sustained open traumatic brain injury and closed chest and…
Fig.1 Complete cranial disruption.

Complete cranial disruption

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Suicidal gunshot wound to the head. No further info. In the head, neck, and limbs, shotgun exit wounds…
Fig.1 Raccoon eyes.

Raccoon eyes

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Raccoon eye or periorbital ecchymosis is caused by blood tracking into periorbital tissues (the area around the eye),…

The Shocker no.33 is out

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Fig.1 Suicide by strangulation with a zip tie.

Suicidal strangulation with a zip tie

| Asphyxiation, Suicide | No Comments
Russia. This individual committed suicide by strangulation with a zip tie, a self-locking cable tie. Strangulation is a…
Fig.1 Postmortem animal scavenging by rodents.

Postmortem animal scavenging by rodents

| Accident, Animal Scavenging | No Comments
The phenomenon of postmortem animal interference with human bodies or their remains is a substantial part of the…
Fig.1 Adipocere formation on face.

Adipocere formation on face

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Adipocere is caused by fat saponification, which is associated with yellow-white discoloration. The face demonstrates distortion of features,…
Fig.1 The death was suspected to be a masochistic exercise or autoerotic death.

Man dies from autoerotic activity

| Accident, Autoerotic Death | No Comments
The deceased man had electrical marks on his fingers and lips, which were stained green from metallization from…

Man dies from home made explosive

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Anterior aspect of a man who had constructed an explosive device using dynamite. The device probably detonated prematurely,…
Fig.1 Suicidal twelve-bore shotgun wound.

Suicidal twelve-bore shotgun wound

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Suicidal twelve-bore shotgun wound. Not all such wounds are circular – this one has torn a large defect…
Fig.1 Chopping wounds of the head from an axe.

Chopping wounds of the head from an axe

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Note the incised-like nature of wounds with cutting of underlying bone. A chop wound is caused by a…

The Shocker no.33 is out

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Fig.1

A man was nearly decapitated in a fatal car crash

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Russia. A man was nearly decapitated in a fatal car crash when he lost control of his car.…
Fig.1 Autoerotic death.

Autoerotic death

| Accident, Autoerotic Death | No Comments
This victim was inhaling an unknown chemical substance while practicing autoerotic activities. Autoerotic death refers to the accidental…
Fig.1 Note the extensive injury of the side of the torso with partial evisceration.

Two men killed when a military-type explosion device detonated

| Accident, Explosion | No Comments
Two young men were killed in a residence when a military-type explosion device detonated. The extent of the…
Fig.1 Superficial cut wounds above the cutoff line.

Young woman decapitated in bed

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Germany. A 22-year-old woman was found dead in her flat, lying fully dressed in her bed. Her arms…
The October 2025 issue

The Shocker Magazine is back

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The Shocker Magazine is back for purchase. Magazines are no longer sold by subscription due to payment gateway…
Fig.1 Gunshot wound stippling.

Gunshot wound stippling

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This individual has stippling around the gunshot entrance wounds of the face, no further info. Stippling (or powder…
Fig.1 Suicidal throat cut with broken glass.

Suicidal throat cut with broken glass

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Spain. This individual cut his throat with a broken glass in a suicide attempt, the individual was suffering…
Fig.1 Suicidal smothering.

Suicidal smothering

| Asphyxiation, Suicide | No Comments
Smothering and suffocation are often used interchangeably, but the term “smothering” is best used for that form of…
Fig.1 Head crushing injury.

Head crushing injury

| Accident | No Comments
This individual died after falling from a height. Severe disruption of the usual facial architecture can be observed.…
Fig.1 Blunt force trauma in a motorcycle accident.

Blunt force trauma in a motorcycle accident

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Blunt impact injuries result from direct contact of a blunt object with a body. A contusion results from…
Fig.1

Pump-action shotgun suicide

| Gunshot, Suicide | No Comments
USA. A 36-year-old white man committed suicide after carrying out an attack that left 1 coworker dead and…
Fig.1 Suicidal twelve-bore shotgun wound.

Suicidal twelve-bore shotgun wound

| Gunshot, Suicide | No Comments
Suicidal twelve-bore shotgun wound. The entrance is one of the ‘sites of election’, in the neck. One barrel…
Fig.1 Decapitated man.

Decapitated man

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This man has been decapitated, no further info. Decapitation is the total separation of the head from the…
Fig.1 Gunshot wound on the forehead.

Gunshot wound on the forehead

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Gunshot wound with stellate blow back lacerations. In contact gunshot wounds with bony tissue underlying the injury, the…
Fig.1 Homicidal throat cut.

Homicidal throat cut

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Spain. The throat of this individual was cut in a homicide. A homicidal throat cut is usually forceful,…
Fig.1 Injuries from boat propellers.

Injuries from boat propellers

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A man was operating a jet ski when he was fatally struck by a boat. His shirt has…
Fig.1 Lacerations inflicted by a claw hammer.

Lacerations inflicted by a claw hammer

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Lacerations inflicted by a claw hammer. Multiple lacerations with split and abraded margins are typical for bludgeoning but…
Fig.1 The man cut off pieces of the body and kept them in various jars.

Man stabs friend and keeps body parts in jars

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Russia. A man murdered his friend with multiple stab wounds, and then cut off pieces of the body…
Fig.1 Crushed head from a train.

Crushed head from a train

| Accident | No Comments
The head of this individual was crushed when he was hit by a train. Trespassing along railroad rights-of-way…
Fig.1 Woman was attacked by a Bull Terrier.

Woman was attacked by a Bull Terrier

| Accident | No Comments
Russia. This woman was attacked by a Bull Terrier and suffered fatal bites to her face and neck.…
Fig.1 Initial position of the deceased in the trunk of the car leading to suspicion of a coincidentally detected body dumping transport by the police.

Traffic accident or dumping?

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A driver of a bonnet-front Skoda Octavia was driving at night on a German motorway. He suddenly recognized…
Fig.1 Exhumation after 9 months.

Exhumation after 9 months

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Exhumation after 9 months due to suspicion of death due to iatrogenic causes. Exhumation is the retrieval of…
Fig.1 Head of a young man infested with insect larvae, which may disguise real pellet or bullet holes.

Decomposition may disguise real pellet or bullet holes

| Decomposition, Gunshot, Homicide | No Comments
Particular caution is advisable when dealing with heavily decomposed bodies. In this head of a young man infested…
Fig.1 Postmortem animal activity.

Postmortem animal activity

| Accident, Animal Scavenging, Decomposition | No Comments
The phenomenon of postmortem animal interference with human bodies or their remains is a substantial part of the…

A masturbating man gets beheaded and then eaten by a cannibal butcher

| Homicide | No Comments
Videos began circulating on social media recently showing a young man masturbating in a bathroom before being brutally…
Fig.1 Gunshot in the mouth at point blank range.

Gunshot in the mouth at point blank range

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This individual has a gunshot in the mouth from a point blank range. Radial ruptures of the wound…
Fig.1 Fatal explosive-induced injury.

Fatal explosive-induced injury

| Accident, Explosion | No Comments
Explosive-induced trauma of the jaw and mouth, with gaping lacerations and tears. Deaths involving explosives may occur intentionally,…
Fig.1 Severed head of the deceased in the toilet bowl.

Decapitated head found in a hotel toilet bowl

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Germany. During fire-fighting operations in a hotel apartment, the firemen found the decapitated body of a 40-year-old apartment…
Fig.2

Suicide with a gun

| Gunshot, Suicide | No Comments
This man committed suicide in his storage room with a gun, no further info. People use guns for…
Fig.1 Dismembered body of the victim.

Woman stabbed to death and dismembered

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The victim was stabbed to death and dismembered thereafter by the perpetrator. No further info. Stab wounds and…