Background Studies of socio-demographic characteristics of lethal cases of domestic violence in Mozambique are rare. Aims: to extend the understanding about gravity of domestic violence and raise awareness of necessity of campaigns to mitigate the violence as a way of solving domestic problems.

Method Non-interventional, cross sectional descriptive and quantitative approach was applied to data from 2016 to 2017 at the Forensic Medicine Services at Maputo Central Hospital. The data was collected from data base that was introduced from hand written reports of each autopsy. Variables included age, sex, relation between victim/offender, education level, profession, place of occurrence and cause of death.

Results A total of 3188 autopsies was carried out, were 96 cases (3%) are related to domestic violence. From the total cases reported 66,67% (64/96) are male at age group 25–34 years 40% (26/64), were violence between siblings are the most common cases 31,25% (30/96), violence against parents 29,17% (28/96), and between wife/husband 15,63% (15/96). The most common cause of death was suffocation 27,08% (26/96), physical aggression with blunt instrument 25% (24/96), and poisoning 16,67% (16/96). Common place of violence was at home 44,58% (44/96). 29,2% (28/96) of the victims has only primary school and 19,7% (19/96) never studded.

Conclusions Levels of lethal domestic violence are considerable among a low education and unemployed mans and need an urgent attention. These social determinants of health need to be integrated in the interventions for prevention and control of domestic violence. Those cases of lethal domestic violence need accurate research’s to understand the phenomena. Are those, social determinants of health, directly influence on the occurrence of lethal domestic violence?