Suicide with a hand grenade in post-conflict Kosovo

The authors describe an unusual case of suicide by detonating a hand-grenade happened in March 2012 in the Mitrovice/Mitrovica District of Kosovo (Western Balkans). A 55 y.o. man was found in the cellar of his house with an ample left sided laceration of the trunk with exposure of the thoracic and abdominal cavities, associated with partial evisceration of the abdominal content and the complete destruction of the left hand. Burns and black residues were visible on the wound's margins and on the clothes' remains. On scene, near the body, parts of an explosive device were discovered. After medico-legal autopsy the cause of death was identified in the destruction of several vital organs (heart explosion; thoracic aorta laceration). The medical history revealed a stroke attack in 2008, with residual right-sided neurological deficits - hemiparesis. In this case the forensic evaluation was centred on the manner of death - especially suicide versus bad handling of some explosive materials, and the concrete possibility to activate a hand grenade with suicide intent, by a person with right hand impairment, neurological deficit subsequent to an old stroke.