REPORTED AEF CASES INVOLVING SELF-BONDAGE Some restraint materials can be dangerous

Date: 1931

Age: 37

Gender: M

Cause of death: Bled to death

Shop assistant found dead in his bed. Lying under the covers, gagged with handkerchiefs, head tightly wrapped in a towel. Legs tied with towels, hands tied up behind his back. He was clutching a nail-scissors in his left hand to free himself, but the arteries were cut up by the tight laces around the wrists, and he bled to death.

Source: Schackwitz Don't drink and die

Gender: M

Cause of death: Compression

Victim winched himself up off the ground by a rope wrapped around his abdomen. High blood alcohol content probably contributed to his inability to release the winch. Pressure continued unabated on his abdomen until breathing became impossible.

Sources: R.R. Hazelwood, et al., Autoerotic Fatalities, Lexington Books, 1983, Lexington, MA. / J Forensic Sci 1984 Apr;29(2)679-84. "An unusual autoerotic death asphyxia with an abdominal ligature." Thibault R, Spencer JD, Bishop JW, Hibler NS. Bound hands prevent control of personal safety

Gender: M

Cause of death: Compression/asphyxiation

Yale graduate constructed an airtight vinyl bag that he zippered himself into. He bound his hands behind his back with a short length of chain. Penis was wrapped with a saran-wrap/ rubber-band condom. Found dead of asphyxiation.

Source: Sean Gabb Having a knife doesn't always mean escape

Gender: M

Location: New Orleans

Cause of death: Asphyxiation

Victim enclosed his body into plastic with an airway out of his "cocoon" in the form of a snorkel tube. He was engaged in masturbation when he apparently lost his mouth piece or airway. He attempted to use a knife to cut himself out, but did not succeed in time.

Source: Am J Forensic Med Pathol 1985 Jun;6(2)151-2. "Wrapped to death. Unusual autoerotic death." Minyard F. Tape gag when alone... fatal idea

Gender: M

Location: Baton Rouge

Cause of death: Asphyxiation

Victim John Oliver Shearer was found with duct tape "on his head", which caused the asphyxiation. Police did not release any additional information so other possible bondage details are unknown.

Sources: Advocate News 7/19/2005, "Autopsy Reports LSU Student Asphyxiated". The Daily Reveille 7/19/2005, "Student Found Dead in Apartment". Even without bondage, a gag's effects can sneak up on you

Gender: F

Age: 30

Cause of death: Choked on gag

Found dead in her locked apartment. Nude and lying supine on a blanket on the bedroom floor. A pillow beneath her buttocks elevated them. (Many women use pillows as masturbation tools.) Legs were slightly spread, arms by her sides. Blouse lodged in her mouth and covered her face. Next to body was a dental plate belonging to the victim. Near left foot: empty beer can, an ashtray, and a drinking glass. Neither the body nor the scene exhibited signs of a struggle. Victim's clothes and purse containing her keys were on bed. Vibrator and leather bondage materials were found in her closet. Door was locked with a spring bolt. The autopsy report indicated that she had choked to death.

Source: Hazelwood, Burgess, and Dietz Elaborate scenarios lead to unanticipated complications

Date: 1973

Age: 40

Gender: M

Cause of death: Compression/asphyxiation

Airplane pilot drove his Volkswagen to a secluded, roughly circular, flat clearing, He removed his clothes and put on a self-manufactured harness, which connected him via a ten-foot length of chain to the car's rear bumper. He tied a belt to the steering wheel and strapped it down so that the wheel was completely counter-clockwise. He started the engine and placed it in first gear, so that the car circled the clearing slowly with him being led walking behind. He had performed this ritual previously. On this final occasion, however, when he approached the car to end the scene, the chain began winding around the left rear axle; he was pulled in toward the left wheel area, and died of compression against the car.

Source: J.C. Rupp, "The Love Bug," Journal of Forensic Sciences, vol. 18, 1973. pp. 259-262. "Escape mechanisms" can fail

Gender: M

Cause of death: Compression/asphyxiation

Victim was in a garbage can. He'd intended to use a roll of chicken wire as an escape mechanism. The mechanism failed and the man died of compression. (In chest compression, the movement of the ribcage is restricted or the diaphragm movement is cut off.)

Source: R.R. Hazelwood, et al., Autoerotic Fatalities, Lexington Books, 1983, Lexington, MA. Automated suspension with unexpected error

Age: 62

Gender: M

Cause of death: Compression/asphyxiation

Found dead in his barn, pinned under the hydraulic front scoop of a John Deere tractor. A neighbor found him lying prone on the ground with the scoop of the tractor on his back. The tractor engine was no longer running, but the ignition was still in the on position. Victim nude except for a pair of red women's shoes with eight-inch heels and knee-high nylons. Duct tape was wrapped around ankles. Ankles were bound to a four-foot-long segment of pipe such that legs were spread. A yoke was attached to the center of the pipe, which was attached to the front loader bucket by a chain. Two ropes led from the victim to the tractor's control lever for raising and tilting the bucket. Fully raising the hydraulic bucket would have caused complete suspension of his inverted body by the ankles. He died when accidentally pinned to the ground under the shovel after intentionally suspending himself.

Source: J Forensic Sci 1993 Mar;38(2)359-64. "Autoerotic fatalities with power hydraulics." O'Halloran RL, Dietz PE. Ventura County Medical Examiner Office, CA. Complete explanation not yet found

Gender: M

Date: 1988

Cause of death: Asphyxiation

Victim found lying on side in semi-fetal position. Right wrist bound behind, in small of back. Left wrist handcuffed in front at crotch level. Legs bent up at knees. Ropes, straps, belts, rings combined for restraints. Undressed but wearing women's shoes.

Source: Wetli, Mittleman, Rau. Practical Forensic Pathology. Scenarios and activities become more elaborate over time - more experience leads to greater danger of death, not less danger

Gender: M

Age: 26

Victim died while suspended by leather wrist restraints from a hook in the ceiling. Was wearing a commercially produced 'discipline mask' and a had a bit in his mouth. A length of rope was attached to each end of the bit and ran over his shoulders, going through an eyelet at the back of a specially designed belt he was wearing. The pieces of rope ran to eyelets on both sides of his body and were connected to wooden dowels that extended the length of his legs. The ropes were attached to two plastic water bottles, one on each ankle. The bottles were filled with water and each weighed 7 pounds. The victim's ankles had leather restraints about them. A clothespin was affixed to each of the victim's nipples. The victim's belt had a leather device that ran between his buttocks and was attached to the rear in front of his belt. This belt device included a dildo that was inserted in his anus and an aperture through which his penis protruded. His penis was encased in a piece of pantyhose and a toilet-paper cylinder. A small red ribbon was tied in a bow at the base of his penis.

Source: Hazelwood, Burgess, & Dietz Handcuffs prevent self-rescue

Gender: M

Date: July 10, 2000

Location: Bossier City, LA

Cause of death: Asphyxiation/Strangulation

Man in women's clothes found hanging from a tree, gagged and handcuffed in Louisiana. Was wearing women's clothing. Police said the death was "accidental and sexual in nature." Feet may have slipped while enacting hanging fantasy. Victim was Christopher Jones (caucasian, not black as erroneously reported by some).

Source: SF Gate News (Mike Halphen, Bossier City police) The next two cases describe pseudo-hogties position where the ankles are leashed toward the neck. The victims believed the neck pressure would be minimal and controllable. Even though their hands were free, they did not survive. Gender: M

Date: 1968

Cause of death: Asphyxiation

Pseudo-hogtie position where rope was tied to one ankle, leashed up over one shoulder, round front of neck, back over other shoulder and tied back to the other ankle. Hands were free but reduced air intake accidentally led to permanent loss of consciousness. Victim was naked.

Source: T. Watanabe. Atlas of Legal Medicine Gender: F

Age: 22

Cause of death: Asphyxiation (hair got tangled in the rope)

Victim discovered dead by her sister, who had been staying with the victim temporarily. The sister had been away for two days and returned on Sunday at 9:00 p.m. She went directly to her bedroom and did not discover the victim until the following morning. The deceased was found with her abdomen, thighs and forearms resting on the floor. Her feet were pulled back toward her head. Her body was in an arched position with an electrical cord attached to her neck by a slip knot, passing over a doorknob, and wrapped around her ankles. Her hair was entangled in the slip knot. She was clothed in a sleepshirt. Commercial lubrication cream was found in the victim's vagina, and a battery-operated vibrator was found 4 feet from her body. The only trauma was a 1 1/2-inch contusion above and behind her right ear. The cause of death was determined to be asphyxia due to laryngeal compression.

Source: Hazelwood, Burgess, and Dietz