What term describes when the actor kills another, then themselves?

• A. Double Homicide
• B. Murder-Suicide
• C. Altruistic homicide
• D. Suicide by Cop

Answer: (B)

The concept here is a single person carries out a homicide against another person and then takes their own life in the same incident. This two-part act is what defines a murder-suicide. It’s different from a double homicide, where two people are killed but the killer does not kill themselves. It also isn’t altruistic homicide, which is a theoretical idea where the killer believes the act serves a supposed greater good. And it’s not suicide by cop, which involves provoking officers to shoot the suspect rather than the killer targeting a specific victim and then themselves. Recognizing murder-suicide helps investigators understand the sequence and potential motives behind the acts, as the intent and planning are framed around the goal of harming others and then ending the perpetrator’s own life.