Uxoricide in later life

The most frequent homicide in the family is uxoricide, but in older couples the high frequency of homicide-suicide reduces the judicial investigations, including autopsy which is very rarely performed. Uxoricide represents the most extreme form of violence against women in the couple in later life and social isolation makes it very difficult to perceive and identify the existence of risk factors for uxoricide and prevent the crime. To better understand the characteristic of uxoricide in older intimate partners in Italy - with at least one member aged ≥ 60 yr - we have decided to select the casuistry not only from published official data, but from the media and newspapers reports in a five year period. The results have shown 91 cases of uxoricides in the five year period 2005-2009. The study indicates that uxoricide in later life involves mostly married Italian couples, aged 60-74ys, living in cities of the northern regions. The wife is killed mostly in spring-summer, by her husband in their marital home by shooting. Rage/jealousy is the most frequent trigger event and in 55% of the cases there is recurrence of suicide or attempted suicide of the offender.