Case Report of Decapitation in Hanging / 대한법의학회지

ABSTRACT

The authors report two cases of complete decapitation due to hanging. The decapitated body of a 49-year-old man weighing 53 kg was found next to a motel, and the head was 1.2 m away from the body. A rope (length, 3.5 m; diameter, 1.0 cm; nylon rope with a running noose), from the rescue and descent device of the room, was on an exterior wall of the motel. Another decapitated body of a 50-year-old man weighing 74 kg was found floating on the river. The head was found the next day. A rope (length, 7.2 m; diameter, 1.0 cm; nylon rope with a running noose) was tied to a bridge located on the upper side of the river. In both cases, the neck had a sharply demarcated circumferential laceration, similar to that noted in cases of sharp force injury. However, the laceration was formed by Langer's lines, and internal examination revealed findings of overstretching injury and blunt force injury. These cases were determined to be those of complete decapitation due to hanging.