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Russia. A mentally ill man killed his mentally ill mother. According to the son, the mother was possessed by demons, he “pinned the demons” with two pairs of scissors, driving them under the mother’s shoulder blades, and then “dramatically put an end to it” by gouging the mother’s head with a 16-kilogram dumbbell. He then covered the body with household garbage and food. Three days later, the body was found by a neighbor, whom he let into the apartment.

Fig.1 The body of the mother under trash.

Fig.2 The body of the mother and the dumbbell.

Parricide refers to the act of killing one’s own parent, or someone closely related to them, such as a father, mother, or other direct ancestor. This term is derived from the Latin words “pater” and “cida,” which mean father and killer, respectively. Parricide is a serious criminal offense and is considered a grave violation of societal norms and legal principles. The motivations behind parricide can vary widely, including issues related to family dynamics, mental health, abuse, or personal conflicts. Legal consequences for parricide vary depending on jurisdiction, but it is universally treated as a severe crime due to the inherent violation of the parent-child relationship and the sanctity of human life.

Fig.3 Injuries on the head from the dumbbell.

Fig.4 Scissors protruding from the lung.

Fig.5 Scissors in the pleural cavities.

Schizophrenia is highly prevalent among adults who kill their parents. Individuals may be motivated in part by persecutory delusions and/or auditory hallucinations. Perpetrators often are single and live at home with their parents, who frequently are domineering.

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