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Germany. A 40-year-old man who lived alone was found deceased in his apartment on the 13th floor of a high-rise building. He was considered a loner. He was very reliable at work. When he did not come to work after the weekend and could not be reached by phone, the police was called and his apartment was opened.

Fig.1 Position of the body at discovery.

Fig.2 Body after removal of diving suit.

The man’s body was in the bedroom, in a crouched position on the floor near a radiator. The exposed hands were red-purple in color. The body was dressed in a diving suit and matching socks. The head and neck region were enclosed in a blue plastic garbage bag. Underneath the diving suit the man was wearing a blue plastic raincoat and clear plastic bags on his feet. Under the plastic raincoat the man was wearing tights and upper body tights. A layer of cheese was discovered under the tights, covering the legs, upper torso and genitals.

Other peculiarities at the scene clearly indicated an auto-erotic accident: pictures of a woman in plastic clothing, a can of ether not far from the body. An intense odor of ether could be found underneath the plastic bag pulled over the mans head. In the kitchen there was extensive packaging material for cheese slices and two empty packages for tights.

Fig.3 Upper torso covered with cheese underneath upper body tights.

The police classified this case (after consultation with legal medicine) as a typical autoerotic accident. There was no evidence that anyone else was in the apartment. There was nothing to prevent the man from covering himself with cheese in this strange way and then wedging himself into plastic clothing. The sexual motivation was obvious (e.g. based on the photos found). Asphyxiation mechanisms in particular are typical for enhancing sexual sensation, in this case combined with ether inhalation. An autopsy was not carried out; the cause of death was classified as “suffocation”.

Fig.4 General view of the body with all layers opened.

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