Suicide by decapitation using a tape saw

Spain. The body of a 22-year-old man was found inside a metal workshop lying on the bench of an electric tape saw used for cutting metals. A suicide note was found at the scene. The man had no confirmed psychiatric history, although he was dealing with some personal problems.

The head was nearly completely decapitated, a small flap of skin remained in the left posterior side. The head was lying on the tray of the machine in a pool of blood. Blood streaks were found on the floor, from the cutting of arteries.

Fig.1 The scene.

Fig.2 The body and the machine.

At the autopsy, the corpse presents a near complete decapitation of the head, showing a single line of cut that begins immediately above the thyroid cartilage and continues in an uninterrupted line ascending to the middle part of the occipital scale. The apex of the lobe of the right auricle is cut.

No signs of violence were found. The rest of the organs and structures of the thorax and abdomen do not show traumatic injuries, presenting a macroscopic pattern within normal limits for the age of the deceased.

Fig.3 Streaks of blood on the floor.

Fig.4 The cut of the head.

The chemical-toxicological analysis detected the presence of cocaine and its metabolites methylecgonine and benzoylecgonine, as well as ethylbenzoylecgonine (simultaneous use of cocaine and ethyl alcohol). The concentrations found were within the traits of semi-recent and old consumption.

Cause of death was suicidal decapitation by electric tape saw.