MURDER FOLLOWED BY SUICIDE - A STUDY OF THE REPORTING OF MURDER FOLLOWED BY SUICIDE IN THE TIMES 1887-1990

This study of The Times over a hundred years (1887-1990) identified re ports of 2,274 cases of murder of which there was evidence that 142 (O r 6 per cent) involved murder followed by suicide. While it is importa nt to stress the limitations of The Times as a source, some important patterns emerge. A much higher proportion of murder-suicides is report ed in the period between 1887 and 1910. The study supports the view th at murder-suicides are mostly family affairs. Reports of female murder -suicides always involve family members. The much higher proportion of reports of male murder-suicides probably reflect the greater likeliho od of males committing offences which deviate from this 'family norm'. The demise of throat-cutting as a method of suicide in the 1920s is q uite striking, while shooting continues to be the method of suicide fa voured by males in particular.