Homicide with a trident harpoon: a case report

Leg Med (Tokyo). 2026 Oct 12;87:103034. doi: 10.1016/j.legalmed.2026.103034. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Spear guns are rarely implicated in homicidal events and are infrequently described in forensic literature, with most published reports focusing on accidental or suicidal injuries and on the surgical management of surviving victims. We report a case of homicide caused by a trident-fishing harpoon, a device designed for underwater use. The fatal injury followed a sudden verbal dispute between two individuals over a parking space on a city street. Autopsy revealed three circular entrance wounds in the precordial region arranged in an oblique pattern, corresponding to the three-pronged configuration of the trident tip. Internal examination demonstrated penetrating injuries of major intrathoracic vessels, associated with hemopericardium and bilateral hemothoraces, resulting in death. Genetic analysis confirmed the presence of the victim’s blood on the seized harpoon. Qualitative assessment of the weapon and wound morphology supported a short-range discharge using the complete propulsion mechanism. Given the absence of experimental data regarding spear gun performance in terrestrial environments, the interpretation was limited to morphological and structural analysis. This case highlights the medico-legal relevance of recognizing characteristic injury patterns produced by atypical weapons and underscores the need for further forensic ballistic studies on underwater spear guns used outside their intended setting.

PMID:42868938 | DOI:10.1016/j.legalmed.2026.103034