Homicide followed by suicide: A review

Homicide–suicide is a severe form of interpersonal violence, leading to shock and incomprehension in society at large. This review delineates the present state of knowledge regarding homicide–suicide by addressing the main theoretical underpinnings, the nature and incidence of these acts, the relation with other types of lethal violence and the characteristics of subtypes of homicide–suicide. Based on a review of the literature, several theoretical and empirical shortcomings are addressed from which directions for future research can be derived.