List of people who were decapitated

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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

[edit]

* 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

[edit]

* 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

[edit]

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

## France

[edit]

### French Republic

[edit]

* 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

[edit]

### Modern Germany

[edit]

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

## Great Britain

[edit]

* Henry Byng, 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

[edit]

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

## Palestine

[edit]

* Ismail al-Ghoul (2024) – decapitated by an Israeli airstrike.[9]

## Papua New Guinea

[edit]

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

## Philippines

[edit]

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

## Portugal

[edit]

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

## Romania

[edit]

* 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

[edit]

* Tom Ketchum (1901) – accidentally decapitated in New Mexico Territory in a botched hanging for train robbery
* Eva Dugan (1930) – decapitated in a botched hanging for murder
* Denny Keith (1964) – decapitated in racing car crash[citation needed]
* Charles Bassett (1966) – decapitated in a crash of a T-38 jet aircraft[13]
* Les Ritchey (1966) – decapitated in a drag racing crash[citation needed]
* Ken Kotalac (1969) – decapitated in a drag bike racing crash[citation needed]
* Rocky Marciano (1969) – decapitated when his airplane crashed
* Jim Croce (1973) – decapitated when his airplane crashed
* Helmut Koinigg (1974) – decapitated in a racing car crash in the 1974 United States Grand Prix after his racing car went under the sharp guardrails
* Boris Sagal (1981) – decapitated by the tail rotor blades of a helicopter[14]
* Vic Morrow and Myca Dinh Le (1982) – decapitated by a crashing helicopter during film shoot for Twilight Zone: The Movie
* Three members of the crew of Piper PA-28-181 Archer at the Cerritos mid-air collision (1986)[citation needed]
* Doug Vermeer (1987) – decapitated in a car racing crash[citation needed]
* Dave Prater (1988) – decapitated in a high-speed car crash
* Jim Brouk (1990) – decapitated in a car racing crash[citation needed]
* Randy Hill (1993) – decapitated in a 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[15]
* Russell Phillips (1995) – decapitated in a racing car crash at Charlotte Motor Speedway
* Eldon Hoke (1997) – decapitated by a train
* Randy Fry (2004) – decapitated by a great white shark[16]
* Katie Flynn (2005) – decapitated in a car crash[17]
* Asia Leeshawn Ferguson (2008) – decapitated after being struck by the Batman: The Ride roller coaster at Six Flags Over Georgia
* Caleb Schwab (2016) – the 10-year-old son of Kansas state representative Scott Schwab, decapitated while sliding down the world's tallest water slide (Verrückt) at Schlitterbahn Kansas City in Kansas City, Kansas[18][19]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Most Horrifying Shark Attacks in History – TomorroWoman". 6 November 2016. Archived from the original on November 27, 2016. Retrieved 25 February 2017.
2. ^ "World's 10 worst shark attacks". 14 January 2010. 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. 10 August 2008. 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 (2 August 2024). "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. ^ "Film director Boris Sagal, 58, was fatally injured fatally..." United Press International. May 23, 1981.
15. ^ "Stunt Cars Collide At Wrong Angle; Driver Killed". Associated Press. AP. November 15, 1993.
16. ^ "5. Randy Fry". HowStuffWorks. 2 May 2008. Retrieved 20 December 2014.
17. ^ "THE ISLAND – A Wedding, A Crash, A Family's Pain". The New York Times. 1 October 2006. Retrieved 20 December 2014.
18. ^ "Source: Boy who died at Schlitterbahn was decapitated". Retrieved 25 February 2017.
19. ^ Kennedy, Merrit (23 November 2016). "World's Tallest Waterslide To Be Demolished After Boy's Death". NPR. Retrieved 25 February 2017.