Billings, Montana – This 66-year-old man committed suicide after being told he had cancer. The entrance of the gunshot wound was in the center of the left upper eyelid and was a contact gunshot wound. On the left temple was a blowout from the hot gases coming out of the muzzle, the blowout entered the left eye socket. A 2 x 3″ gaping exit hole was found on the left temple. X-rays found the bullet at the back of the head. The direction of the bullet path was different than originally thought, and penetrated, not perforated.
Fig.1 Gunshot entrance in center of upper eyelid, contact range.
Fig.2 Blowout wound on left temple from the gases blown into eye socket from the gun.
When a gun is fired, a cloud of hot gas is expressed from the end of the muzzle along with the projectile. In a contact gunshot wound of the head, these gases are forced between the scalp and the cranial bones and build up pressure along its path. The pressure is eventually released as the scalp tears.
Fig.3 X-rays found the bullet at the back of the head.
Fig.4 X-rays found the bullet at the back of the head.
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