Peter Anthony Motteux, English author, playwright, translator, publisher and editor of The Gentleman's Journal, "the first English magazine," from 1692 to 1694, died from apparent autoerotic asphyxiation in 1718, which is probably the first recorded case.
Frantisek Kotzwara, composer, died from erotic asphyxiation in 1791.
Sada Abe killed her lover, Kichizo Ishida, through erotic asphyxiation in 1936, proceeding to cut off his penis and testicles and carry them around with her in her handbag for a number of days. The case caused a sensation in 1930s Japan and has remained one of the most famous Japanese murder cases of all time.
Albert Dekker, stage and screen actor, was found dead in his bathroom in 1968 with his body graffitied and a noose around his neck.
Vaughn Bodé, artist, died from this cause in 1975.
In 1990s Herceg v. Hustler, Diane Herceg sued Hustler magazine, accusing it of causing the death of her 14-year-old son, Troy D., who had experimented with autoerotic asphyxia after reading about it in that publication.
Stephen Milligan, a British politician and Conservative MP for Eastleigh, died from autoerotic asphyxiation combined with self-bondage in 1994.
Kevin Gilbert, a musician and songwriter, died of apparent autoerotic asphyxiation in 1996.
Michael Hutchence, Australian singer-songwriter and member of rock band INXS. His death was in 1997 ruled as suicide by the coroner but was believed by his family and partner to be the result of autoerotic asphyxia.
David Carradine died on June 4, 2009 from accidental asphyxiation, according to the medical examiner who performed a private autopsy on the actor.
His body was found hanging by a rope in a closet in his room in Thailand, and there was evidence of a recent orgasm;
two autopsies were conducted and concluded that his death was not suicide, and the Thai forensic pathologist who examined the body stated that his death may have been due to autoerotic asphyxiation.
Two of Carradine's ex-wives, Gail Jensen and Marina Anderson, stated publicly that his sexual interests included the practice of self-bondage.
