Crime Scene Examination of a Suicidal Pact: A Case Report

Abstract

A suicidal pact is a mutual agreement between two or more individuals to die together. In dyadic death, the assailant commits suicide soon after killing his victim. Cases of a suicidal pact and dyadic death are uncommon, especially in rural India. There are very few reported cases of suicidal pacts in the scientific literature. This present report highlights the death of three family members including a minor with the crime scene examination and challenges faced by the investigators and forensic experts. Being an expert in forensic medicine, we visited the crime scene and conducted post-mortem examinations to differentiate between suicidal pact and dyadic death.