The participants were mainly unmarried white males who had a median age of 35 years and who displayed psychiatric disturbance, primarily depression, before their death. In addition, younger individuals were often under the influence of alcohol, drugs, or both at the time of death. Moreover, stressors such as the loss of a loved person were common among young and middle-aged persons, while serious health problems existed in the majority of middle-aged and elderly individuals. Many findings were consistent with the literature regarding individuals who commit suicide. Data on many important psychological risk factors were missing in most of the cases studied, but sufficient psychological information was collected about the person’s mental condition at the time of death to support a suicide determination. Tables and 36 references (Author abstract modified)