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Man killed by his own brother with throat cut and stabbing. One can notice that this was an overkill. Beside the cut throat, there was multiple stab wounds on the back of the neck and cut of the back of the neck mounting to separation of cervical vertebrae. The spinal cord was not cut.

Fig.1 A cut throat on the victim.

Fig.2 Multiple stab wounds on the back of the neck and cut wound.

Homicidal overkill refers to the excessive use of violence during a murder, far beyond what is necessary to cause death. It often involves inflicting an extreme number of wounds, mutilation, or prolonged brutality. This level of violence may suggest intense emotional rage, a desire to send a message, or psychological disturbances. Overkill can be a key factor in criminal investigations, offering insights into the perpetrator’s state of mind or their relationship with the victim.

Fig.3 Defense wounds were present.

Fig.4 Defense wounds were present.

Another feature of this case is that the cut wound in the front of the neck is situated high up in the neck, contrary to classic feature of homicidal cut throat wounds of being situated in the lower neck. This position led to the assumption that the assailant came from behind the victim, pulled his hair and consequently his head backward and cut his throat by a single slash.

Fig.5 The left jugular vein and left carotid artery were cut at the level of the upper border of the laryngeal cartilage.

Defense wounds were present on the dorsal and palmer surface of the hand, indicating an attempt of the victim to ward off and grasp the knife. The left jugular vein and left carotid artery were cut at the level of the upper border of the laryngeal cartilage.

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