Two Cases of ‘Type 3’ Suicide

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this paper was to examine two cases of suicide (apparently ‘Type 3’, according to a new classification) by individuals without high public profiles that appeared in the press in February 2010, and to determine shared characteristics. Method: All the available public record evidence was examined. Comprehensive accounts of the events of the lives of the individuals were compiled, and a comparison of characteristics was performed. Results: Andrew Joseph Stack III and Brodie Rae Constance Panlock differed in country of residence, gender, age, and marital, parenting, educational and employment status. However, neither manifested evidence of a mental disorder and both were in a predicament created by external factors. They met criteria for Type 3 suicide (suicide when there is no mental disorder and the predicament to which the individual is exposed is very clear to the observer). Conclusion: These cases support the concept of Type 3 suicide. Apart from the absence of mental disorder and the presence of an external predicament, there were no other shared characteristics, suggesting that Type 3 suicide is not restricted to a particular group.