A Colombian necktie (Spanish: corbata colombiana) is a brutal method of murder wherein the victim's throat would be slashed horizontally, with a knife or other sharp object, and his or her tongue would be pulled out through the open wound; this is not actually possible because the tongue is entirely in the mouth and is thus entirely above the neck. The myth may gain credibility because when one looks into a human mouth, the tongue seems to disappear into the inside of the throat. Anatomy textbooks, including the famous Gray's Anatomy, make clear, however, that the tongue is a roundish muscle anchored in the bottom of the mouth. See for example the schematics in Gray's, the Duke University Medical School, the Human Anatomy and Physiology blog, and a recent paper in Journal of Applied Physiology. See also Tongue.
Nevertheless, widespread belief in the phenomenon has had social effects as indicated in the remainder of this article.
The Colombian necktie is sometimes credited to drug kingpin Pablo Escobar. It was supposedly intended as a method of psychological warfare, meant to scare and intimidate.
During the trial of O. J. Simpson in 1994, an alternate murderer theory claimed hitmen murdered Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman. The theory supposes that the hitmen were hired by drug dealers to whom Faye Resnick owed money.
Evidence was presented that a Colombian necktie, a variation where the executed are killed by a horizontal slash at the throat and the tongue is not drawn through the wound, is often employed by Colombian drug dealers. Judge Ito barred this admission of testimony.
Film and Television
In season 2, episode 13 of The PJs, titled "The Jeffersons", Sanchez recommends faking Thurgood's death with a Colombian necktie.
In Code of Silence, gangster Luis Comacho (played by Henry Silva) tells cop Eddie Cusack (Chuck Norris) that he will give him a Colombian necktie as a gift one day and it will look beautiful on him. Also in this film was a victim of war between gangsters, who had been given a Colombian necktie.
In season 3 episode 11 of Z nation (Doc's Angels) Annie mentions that one of her previous husbands was killed by the Colombian necktie pre apocalypse.
In "Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." season 2, episode 7 ("The Writing On the Wall") a drink called a Colombian necktie is mentioned to Grant Ward in a pub in Boston, while he is on the run from both his brother and S.H.I.E.L.D.
The Colombian necktie is referenced in the 1989 film K-9 by the lead antagonist's right-hand man Dillon (played by Sherman Howard).
In the eleventh episode of Hannibal, titled "Rôti", Colombian neckties were given by Dr. Hannibal Lecter and Dr. Abel Gideon.
In season 1, episode 2 of Breaking Bad, Jesse briefly mentions Colombian neckties when contemplating the dangers of releasing Krazy-8, a former business partner who is imprisoned in his basement. A reference to this mutilation is also made in Vince Gilligan's later work, appearing in season 1, episode 2 of Better Call Saul. Here, Tuco Salamanca threatens to give Colombian neckties to Jimmy's skateboarding companions after the trio attempt a botched hit-and-run scam.
The Colombian necktie is also mentioned in the Modern Family episode "When Good Kids Go Bad".
In the premiere season of the television series The Bridge, in an episode entitled "ID", the serial killer executes a Colombian necktie on a victim. Sonya speculates that the reason for doing this was to have the victim "killed like a 'narco'" for selling prescriptions for oxycontin.
In season 1, episode 19 of Supernatural, Dean makes a remark about a spirit "handing out Colombian neckties like he did with his family." It's referenced again in season 3, episode 16 ("No Rest for the Wicked"), when Dean mentions "[giving] a Colombian necktie to a girl" who's being possessed by a demon.
In season 1, episode 18 of Prison Break, T-Bag makes a remark about "ending up with a Colombian necktie" if he gets caught cheating in a gambling game with the other prisoners.
In season 4, episode 12 of MacGyver, titled "The Challenge", it is said that Booker is killed VIA the Colombian necktie.
The Australian band I Killed The Prom Queen released a song named "Your Shirt Would Look Better With A Colombian Necktie" in 2006.
The phrase is often cited by the hip-hop duo M.O.P., consisting of Lil' Fame and Billy Danze, popular primarily in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
Thrash metal band Megadeth mentions it in the song "Sleepwalker", in the line "I think you'd look nice in a Colombian necktie".
Punk rock/noise rock band Big Black's 1987 album Songs About Fucking contains a track titled "Colombian Necktie".
Industrial/electronic band Front Line Assembly's 1997 album "FLAvour of the Weak" contains a track titled "Colombian Necktie".
One of the titular "dirty deeds" from the AC/DC song Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap is "neckties". Listed alongside other methods of murder, it is potentially a reference to a Colombian necktie.
Hollywood Undead's "Deadbite" A part mentions "you got a one way ticket to Columbian Neckties"
In John le Carré's 1993 novel The Night Manager, Dr Paul Apostoll, a lawyer for a Colombian drug cartel, and his mistress were both given Colombian Neckties as punishment for Apostoll informing on his bosses to intelligence agencies.
