An unusual death by transcranial stab wound

Penetrating stab wounds of the skull are rarities and are generally considered as homicides. We report the case of a 24-year-old man, found dead at home, a kitchen knife protruding from his forehead. The psychiatric history of the victim, the number and location of wounds, the presence of hesitation wounds or defensive wounds were studied to elucidate the manner of death, and the suicidal nature of the event was established. The medico-legal aspects of the differentiation between homicide and suicide in stab wounds are discussed.