Household gas explosion as a method of homicides and suicides committed by persons with mental disorders: a series of cases in the regions of Russia (2012-2021)

Every month there are reported household gas explosions with fatalities in various regions Russian Federation (RF). At the same time, methane explosions as a way of suicide and murder of other people committed by patients with mental disorders (MD) are not fully considered. The aim of the study is to study cases of natural gas explosions in the regions of the Russian Federation, committed with suicidal and homicidal intentions. Materials and methods. Through the electronic media we collected information about 10 cases of household gas explosions in 10 regions of the Russian Federation that occurred in 2012-2021. We only considered cases with the presence of MD and deliberate suicidal behavior in the instigators of the explosion. The detonators were 10 males aged 19 to 70 (mean age 41.7±16.5), the victims were 37 people (14 males and 23 females, including five children) aged 1,5 months to 84 years (mean age 45.5±23.0). For each case of the explosion, socio-demographic indicators and psychopathological features of the delict were collected from all participants in the incident. Results. In seven cases, the incidents can be qualified as post- homicidal suicides carried out with the help of a household gas explosion, two cases can be classified as suicides without the death of other residents, and one case is classified as the murder of hostile neighbors. All the causes of the gas explosion that caused the collapse of a residential building with the death of people were suicide attempts and/or murders committed in a generally dangerous way. Besides suicidal behavior (five cases) due to family disagreements, conflicts with neighbors, financial problems with court decisions to confiscate an apartment for a loan taken, waiting for a court decision for a criminal offense, suicide bombers suffered from addiction to alcohol and other psychoactive substances, mental retardation, chronic MD complicated by alcohol abuse. The murder with the help of a gas explosion was committed by a patient with schizophrenia under the influence of auditory hallucinations and recognized by the court as insane. Another case is analyzed as an attempt to kill neighbors under the influence of passive and active variants of delusional defense. Conclusion. The explosions of domestic gas with the purpose of murder and/or suicide, as a rule, are accompanied by mass casualties. The perpetrators of the incidents were, on average, younger than their victims; they had a history of suicidal behavior and various MDs. It makes sense to appoint complex forensic medical examinations with the involvement of forensic psychiatrists to clarify the psychopathological motives for such incidents.