Two cases of firearm-related murder–suicide: Forensic implications of the ability to act

Abstract

One of the most important tasks in forensic medicine is differentiating between a homicide and a suicide, especially in cases where more than one self-inflicted gunshot wound is present. The significance is even greater when the victim’s ability to act after the first gunshot is questionable. In these cases, the only way to determine the sequence of the shots is to consider the severity of the injuries and their disabling effect. Therefore, the importance of previously mentioned facts is even greater, not only in everyday forensic practice but also in court. The questions dealing with the crime scene and interpretation of the wounds’ trajectories are of the utmost importance.