PSEUDONECROPHILIA FOLLOWING SPOUSAL HOMICIDE

A case of pseudonecrophilia by a 26-year-old male following the multip le stabbing death of his wife is reported. Intoxicated with alcohol at the time, the man positioned the corpse of his spouse to facilitate v aginal intercourse with her in the lithotomy position while he viewed soft core pornography on television. Clinical interview, a review of h istory, and psychological testing revealed diagnoses of antisocial per sonality disorder and major depression (DSM-IV, American Psychiatric A ssociation, 1994). There was no evidence of psychosis, but some indice s of mild neuropsychological impairment. The motivations for this rare case of pseudonecrophilia are discussed in relation to extant researc h, and a cautionary note is offered in assuming sexual causality in th e investigation of homicides when there is evidence of sexual arousal or activity by the perpetrator.