Homicide, borderline personality disorder and paraphilic disorder: A case report

Abstract

Introduction

Zoophilia consists of sexual intercourse by a human being with a lower animal. There is a paucity of literature on this paraphilia.

Method

In this paper, we report an uncommon case of homicide committed by a man with co-morbid borderline personality disorder and paraphilic disorder, and review the literature.

Case report

Mr SH was a single and unemployed 30-year-old male. He was hospitalized in our forensic psychiatric department following a dismissal for criminal responsibility for an act of attempted murder with premeditation. There was no history of any other psychiatric disorder, chronic physical illness or drug dependence. He complained that he had been suffering for the past ten years from sad mood, sleeplessness, loss of interest, and feelings of guilt worthlessness, and hopelessness. He had started sexual intercourse with animals eight years ago. He harbored feelings of guilt for his sexual experiences with animals. There was no formal thought disorder or perceptual abnormality. At the beginning of bestiality, he explained his unconventional behavior, by the fact that he had been bewitched, by his uncle's wife. Projective tests found borderline psychopathology. The crime occurred after a zoophilic sexual intercourse. Mr SH was obsessed with bewitchment thoughts, and got an uncontrollable urge to kill his uncle's wife. The crime was impulsive and violent. Psychiatric experts retained the diagnosis of co-morbid borderline personality disorder and other specified paraphilic disorder (DSM-5).

Conclusion

In this case, we discuss the clinical and therapeutic challenges of this complex case, and the legal liability of Mr SH.

Disclosure of interest

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.