Australia. This case demonstrates the death of a 69-year-old male which has occurred in the setting of a complex autoerotic environment, not as a result of asphyxiation, but rather as a result of natural causes which is likely to have been brought about by repeated similar activity.
Police were called to the deceased’s address by a painter who observed the deceased through a first-floor window while painting the balustrading of the balcony. Police attended, found the apartment to be secure, and gained entry by breaking a glass door leading to the living room. The deceased was located in the bedroom secured to a chair with ropes and chains, positioned with his back facing the interior of an empty wardrobe that had all the doors open.
Fig.1 The deceased in situ.
The deceased was secured to the chair with an elaborate rope system tightly binding his upper body and upper thighs to the chair and to a pulley system within the wardrobe. Ropes that did not completely encircle the neck were fastened to the interior of the wardrobe, where a small metal tin was used as a weight system to suspend a cord attached to two keys. His hands were fastened behind his back with a pair of antique metal shackles and a medium thickness steel chain which was secured with two locked padlocks, which were able to be unlocked using the nearby suspended keys.
Fig.2 Close up of the face and chest with gag and ligatures.
Fig.3 The deceased in situ, note the flexion of the lower limbs.
A leather belt was found to be pulled tight around the deceased’s legs just above his knees. The strapping securing the deceased’s legs were clasped to nylon ties around his ankles, with the knees flexed and feet suspended from the ground. The deceased was wearing a full-length hooded raincoat with the hood over his head, a school dress, and shin-high black rubber gumboots. There was also a large pacifier in the mouth which was secured with string around the head. The deceased was positioned in front of a full-length mirror and a large digital clock. No pornographic material was found within the apartment. A search of the deceased’s apartment revealed numerous adult-size school dresses, school shoes, female undergarments, wigs, and accessories.
According to his medical history, obtained from the deceased’s general practitioner, he had a documented history of irritable bowel syndrome, meniscectomy, osteoarthritis, left inguinal hernia, and a Spigelian hernia repair.
Fig.4 The rope about the neck padded by a piece of hose.
Fig.5 Padlock fixing the manacles about the wrists. The key was hanging inside the wardrobe.
At autopsy, rigor mortis had passed. There was evidence of postmortem change including green discoloration of the lower abdomen, and blistering and skin slippage over the distal part of the lower legs bilaterally. The fingertips were blackened bilaterally. Postmortem lividity was fixed and present in a distribution consistent with the position in which the deceased was found. No conjunctival hemorrhages or petechiae were identified. There were brown metal handcuffs present around the wrists which were unable to be removed and the tongue had been pushed to the posterior aspect of the buccal cavity by extensive tape wrapped around the intra-oral part of the pacifier. Abrasions and parchmented abrasions were distributed about the body where there had been bindings applied prior to death. Internal examination revealed multiple pulmonary emboli throughout the vasculature of the right lung, including the main right pulmonary artery. There were extensive deep vein thromboses of the lower legs. There was no strap muscle bruising and the laryngeal skeleton was intact.
Histology confirmed that the pulmonary emboli were acute. No other significant natural disease was identified. Toxicology was negative. The cause of death was given as: a) Multiple pulmonary emboli in the setting of neck compression, and b) Lower limb deep vein thrombosis.
Fig.6 Pressure areas on the lower limbs from ligatures and gumboots.
Fig.7 Pulmonary embolus within the right main artery.
The definition of an autoerotic death is ‘‘the accidental death of an individual while masturbating, caused by a device or material that has been used to enhance the sexual response’’, thus excluding cases of natural death during autoerotic practice (‘‘la morte d’amour’’—coitally-induced cardiac overload). Therefore death is not intended or expected.
Typical features of an autoerotic death are:
• The body is discovered in an isolated or secure environment with evidence of recent masturbation.
• There is a demonstrable failure of a device or setup that was integral to the sexual activity and capable of causing death.
• Ligatures, if present, are arranged so that neck, chest, or abdominal compression could be voluntarily produced or relaxed—a ‘‘failsafe’’ mechanism.
• Padding of ropes around the neck.
• Unusual props such as bindings, pornography, fetishistic materials (female underwear or rubber clothing), sadomasochistic images or devices, other sexual aids or mirrors.
• Evidence of similar activity in the past.
• No history of suicidal ideation and no suicide note. Death due to asphyxia from hanging is the most common type of autoerotic death.
Latest posts
