Mystery Writers Forum

Life and Death => Death Details => Topic started by: Rashi2Learn on July 21, 2019, 11:30:18 AM

Title: Carbon Monoxide poisoning and how can I pull it off?
Post by: Rashi2Learn on July 21, 2019, 11:30:18 AM
So I'm writing this story where one character has to be murdered from carbon monoxide poisoning in a running car. How can I get it done? Can somebody help me?
Title: Re: Carbon Monoxide poisoning and how can I pull it off?
Post by: Dave Freas on July 22, 2019, 08:53:54 AM
For it to work, you need a static environment - in this case, a non-moving car.  No one is going to voluntarily sit in a car and let their killer run a hose from the exhaust pipe to the interior.

So you have to create a situation where the car is immobile and your victim is trapped inside for some reason - such as stuck in a snow drift.  However in almost any such situation, your victim will be able to escape the murder attempt simply by getting out of the car.

You also have to have your bad guy do some prep work to get the CO to the interior - damaging the exhaust pipe by putting holes in it under the interior near naturally occurring holes in the floorboard, etc. or making holes for it to leak in through.

I've been thinking about this since you posted it and the only reasonably feasible way to pull it off is to drug your victim first, place him or her in the car inside a garage, run the hose to the interior, start the car, and get away fast.
Title: Re: Carbon Monoxide poisoning and how can I pull it off?
Post by: Bob Mueller on August 06, 2019, 10:18:22 PM
You could do it in a moving vehicle, but it'd take set-up by your villain. They'd have to figure out how to pipe the CO from the exhaust into the car before the victim goes off on a long drive. They'd have to cut into the exhaust at some point, then run a line into the car. The advantage to this is that they'd probably become drowsy enough that they'll wreck before they're killed, unless you could figure out how to pipe the exhaust right into the HVAC system so it's hitting them right in the face.
Title: Re: Carbon Monoxide poisoning and how can I pull it off?
Post by: Jingleway on March 19, 2020, 09:27:47 AM
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Title: Re: Carbon Monoxide poisoning and how can I pull it off?
Post by: Gene15219 on March 26, 2021, 04:14:51 PM
So I'm writing this story where one character has to be murdered from carbon monoxide poisoning in a running car. How can I get it done? Can somebody help me?

The traditional method was to have the motor vehicle running inside of enclosed space.    This happened to a Nazi officer who came home drunk, passed out in his car.   He survived.    His experience inspired his fellow Nazis to consider using gas vans.
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