List of people who were decapitated

The following is a list of people who were decapitated, arranged alphabetically by country or region and with date of decapitation. These individuals lost their heads accidentally. This includes animal-related deaths. A list of people who lost their heads through execution or murder can be found at List of people who were beheaded.

Australia

Shirley Ann Durdin (1985) – Durdin was decapitated by a great white shark while snorkeling in Port Lincoln, South Australia; she was eaten alive^[1]^[2]
Kerry McLoughlin (1987) – Decapitated by a saltwater crocodile at Cahills Crossing, Northern Territory^[3]

Argentina

Oscar Lofeudo (1998) – Decapitated in a TC pre-race qualifying in Rafaela circuit; Lofeudo was then co-driver along with Raúl Petrich (driver who also died).
Daniel Ponce (2001) – Decapitated in a pick-up race, in San Martín, Mendoza.
Matías Viapiano (2003) – Decapitated in a karting race in Estación Aráoz, Tucumán.^[4]

Chile

José Larenas (1980) – decapitated by a great white shark.^[5]

France

French Republic

Jean Larivière (1951) – decapitated in racing car crash in the 1951 24 Hours of Le Mans
Gerry Birrell (1973) – decapitated in racing car crash

Germany

Modern Germany

Csaba Kesjár (1988) - decapitated in a German Formula 3 race, at the Norisring.^{[citation needed]}

Great Britain

Hon. Henry William John, later 4th Earl of Strafford (1899) – decapitated by a train at Potters Bar railway station^[6]
Donald Campbell (1967) – decapitated in crash of his hydroplane Bluebird K7 during world water speed record attempt in Coniston Water.

Netherlands/Belgium

Chris Bristow (1960) – decapitated in racing car crash in the 1960 Belgian Grand Prix.
Alain Vincx (1987) – decapitated in car racing stunt challenge at Zandvoort Circuit.^[7]^[8]

Palestine

Ismail al-Ghoul (2024) - decapitated by Israeli airstrike.^[9]

Papua New Guinea

Melas Mero (2014) – decapitated by a saltwater crocodile^[10]

Philippines

Unnamed girl (2009) – decapitated by a saltwater crocodile^[11]

Portugal

Paulo Jorge Caracitas (2000) – decapitated while kart racing, when the scarf he was using got stuck in the drive shaft.^[12]

Romania

Nicolae Labiș (1956) – fell off of a tram while going to a friend's house and was decapitated when his head hit the pavement between the two trams in University Square, Bucharest.

United States

Tom Ketchum (1901) – accidentally decapitated in New Mexico Territory in botched hanging for train robbery
Eva Dugan (1930) – decapitated in botched hanging for murder
Denny Keith (1964) – decapitated in racing car crash
Charles Bassett (1966) – decapitated in crash of T-38 jet aircraft^[13]
Les Ritchey (1966) – decapitated in drag racing crash
Ken Kotalac (1969) – decapitated in drag bike racing crash
Rocky Marciano (1969) – decapitated when his airplane crashed
François Cevert (1973) – cut in half in racing car crash at Watkins Glen International
Helmuth Koinigg (1974) – decapitated in racing car crash in the 1974 United States Grand Prix
Vic Morrow and Myca Dinh Le (1982) – decapitated by crashing helicopter during film shoot for Twilight Zone: The Movie
3 members of the crew of Piper PA-28-181 Archer at the Cerritos mid-air collision (1986)^{[citation needed]}
Doug Vermeer (1987) – decapitated in car racing crash^{[citation needed]}
Jim Brouk (1990) – decapitated in car racing crash^{[citation needed]}
Randy Hill (1993) – decapitated in stunt car challenge; in a botched attempt at a mid-air collision, Hill's car was too low, its roof was sheared off, and Hill's head was crushed.^[14]
Russell Phillips (1995) – decapitated in racing car crash at Charlotte Motor Speedway
Eldon Hoke (1997) – decapitated by a train
Randy Fry (2004) – decapitated by a great white shark^[15]
Robert Lees (2004) – decapitated by murderer
Katie Flynn (2005) – decapitated in car crash^[16]
Asia Leeshawn Ferguson (2008) – decapitated after being struck by the Batman: The Ride roller coaster at Six Flags Over Georgia
Caleb Schwab (2016) – Caleb, the 10-year-old son of Kansas state representative Scott Schwab, was decapitated while sliding down the world's tallest water slide (Verrückt) at Schlitterbahn Kansas City in Kansas City, Kansas.^[17]^[18]

References

^ "Most Horrifying Shark Attacks in History – TomorroWoman". 6 November 2016. Retrieved 25 February 2017.
^ "World's 10 worst shark attacks". Retrieved 25 February 2017.
^ "Man taken by croc while standing in boat". www.ntnews.com.au. 8 June 2014.
^ "A Driver Dies in a Terrible Accident. Drama in Estación Aráoz". La Gaceta.
^ "Miranda" (PDF). sharkattackfile.net. 1980. Retrieved 2020-05-02.
^ "Earl of Strafford Killed; Decapitated by an Express Train at a Railroad". The New York Times. 17 May 1899. Retrieved 8 May 2010.
^ "Deadly accident Alain Vincx on 25th of may 1987". YouTube. Retrieved 2022-08-09.
^ Redactie; Belga (2020-12-09). "Lichaam van stuntman opgegraven in onderzoek naar Bende van Nijvel". De Morgen (in Dutch). Retrieved 2022-08-09.
^ Knell, Yolande. "Al Jazeera rebuffs Israeli claim killed journalist was Hamas operative". bbc.com. BBC. Retrieved 4 August 2024.
^ "Boy, 11, eaten by crocodile in Papua New Guinea". the ffleetGuardian. Agence France-Presse. 14 May 2014. Retrieved 20 December 2014.
^ "- ABS-CBN News". Retrieved 25 February 2017.
^ "Karting: Morte de um jovem choca amantes da modalidade - Modalidades - Jornal Record".
^ Evans, Ben (March 5, 2012). ""A Bad Call": The Accident Which Almost Lost Project Gemini". AmericaSpace. Archived from the original on September 30, 2020. Retrieved July 20, 2020.
^ "Stunt Cars Collide At Wrong Angle; Driver Killed". Associated Press. AP. November 15, 1993.
^ "5. Randy Fry". HowStuffWorks. 2 May 2008. Retrieved 20 December 2014.
^ "THE ISLAND – A Wedding, A Crash, A Family's Pain". The New York Times. 1 October 2006. Retrieved 20 December 2014.
^ "Source: Boy who died at Schlitterbahn was decapitated". Retrieved 25 February 2017.
^ "World's Tallest Waterslide To Be Demolished After Boy's Death". NPR. Retrieved 25 February 2017.

[1] "Most Horrifying Shark Attacks in History – TomorroWoman". 6 November 2016. Retrieved 25 February 2017.

[2] "World's 10 worst shark attacks". Retrieved 25 February 2017.

[3] "Man taken by croc while standing in boat". www.ntnews.com.au. 8 June 2014.

[4] "A Driver Dies in a Terrible Accident. Drama in Estación Aráoz". La Gaceta.

[5] "Miranda" (PDF). sharkattackfile.net. 1980. Retrieved 2020-05-02.

[6] "Earl of Strafford Killed; Decapitated by an Express Train at a Railroad". The New York Times. 17 May 1899. Retrieved 8 May 2010.

[7] "Deadly accident Alain Vincx on 25th of may 1987". YouTube. Retrieved 2022-08-09.

[8] Redactie; Belga (2020-12-09). "Lichaam van stuntman opgegraven in onderzoek naar Bende van Nijvel". De Morgen (in Dutch). Retrieved 2022-08-09.

[9] Knell, Yolande. "Al Jazeera rebuffs Israeli claim killed journalist was Hamas operative". bbc.com. BBC. Retrieved 4 August 2024.

[10] "Boy, 11, eaten by crocodile in Papua New Guinea". the ffleetGuardian. Agence France-Presse. 14 May 2014. Retrieved 20 December 2014.

[11] "- ABS-CBN News". Retrieved 25 February 2017.

[12] "Karting: Morte de um jovem choca amantes da modalidade - Modalidades - Jornal Record".

[13] Evans, Ben (March 5, 2012). ""A Bad Call": The Accident Which Almost Lost Project Gemini". AmericaSpace. Archived from the original on September 30, 2020. Retrieved July 20, 2020.

[14] "Stunt Cars Collide At Wrong Angle; Driver Killed". Associated Press. AP. November 15, 1993.

[15] "5. Randy Fry". HowStuffWorks. 2 May 2008. Retrieved 20 December 2014.

[16] "THE ISLAND – A Wedding, A Crash, A Family's Pain". The New York Times. 1 October 2006. Retrieved 20 December 2014.

[17] "Source: Boy who died at Schlitterbahn was decapitated". Retrieved 25 February 2017.

[18] "World's Tallest Waterslide To Be Demolished After Boy's Death". NPR. Retrieved 25 February 2017.

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