Complex suicide or concealed homicide? The case of multiple stab wounds in a fatal fall from a height

Abstract

Complex suicides refer to cases in which more than one suicide method is used. Here, we present a case of a complex suicide of a 23-year-old woman who was found dead on the ground floor of a public, high-rise apartment. Of interest were the stab wounds present on the body. Security footage from the apartment block showed the deceased going up the lift alone and her belongings were found neatly placed on the floor of the 47th storey. No commotion was heard by the residents. Police investigations later revealed a blood-stained knife in a hotel room, several kilometres away, that the deceased had been staying in for the last few days, alone. Forensic examination revealed one stab wound on the chest and four stab wounds on the abdomen, one of which had penetrated the liver. Death was due to the multiple blunt force injuries, which were consistent with those sustained from a fall from a height. This case highlights the difficulty in discriminating between homicide and complex suicide and the importance of police investigations in such cases.