The role of depression in couples involved in murder-suicide and homicide

Am J Psychiatry. 1990 Aug;147(8):1036-9. doi: 10.1176/ajp.147.8.1036.

Abstract

Twelve couples in cases of murder-suicide were compared to 24 couples in cases of homicide during the period 1978 to 1987 in Albuquerque, N.M. Data were obtained from police, the courts, hospital records, and interviews with friends and family of the deceased. The most striking findings were that perpetrators of murder-suicide were depressed (75%) and men (95%), while perpetrators of homicide were not depressed and one-half were women. The data indicate that the murder-suicide and homicide groups are two different populations.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Comparative Study

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Alcoholism / diagnosis
  • Alcoholism / psychology
  • Depressive Disorder / diagnosis
  • Depressive Disorder / psychology*
  • Female
  • Forensic Psychiatry
  • Homicide / psychology*
  • Homicide / statistics & numerical data
  • Humans
  • Male
  • New Mexico
  • Sex Factors
  • Substance-Related Disorders / diagnosis
  • Substance-Related Disorders / psychology
  • Suicide / psychology*
  • Suicide / statistics & numerical data
  • United States