Female homicide-suicide perpetrators: a controlled study.
The record files of the Dade County Medical Examiner Department were reviewed and 133 homicide-suicides were identified. Of these, ten (or 7.5%) were female perpetrated. The chart data of these 10 female homicide-suicide perpetrators, chart data of 50 female homicide-suicide victims, and 50 female individual suicides systematically selected as controls were tabulated using a standardized instrument. The results were analyzed for differences using simple statistical methods. The comparisons revealed that female homicide-suicide perpetrators were more likely than female homicide-suicide victims to live in mobile homes, kill their lover or ex-lover, have their crime accidentally discovered, leave a suicide note, kill on a weekend, and be depressed, but are less likely than female homicide-suicide victims to live with a spouse. Additionally, female homicide-suicide perpetrators were more likely than individual female suicides to live in mobile homes but less likely to live alone and to be depressed.
D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000150:complications; D005260:Female; D005431:Florida; D006708:Homicide; D006801:Humans; D012737:Sex Factors; D012931:Social Environment; D013405:Suicide / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*