Middle School Teacher Suspected of Sex With Student Kills Herself in Front of Police

5-11-17 Colorado:

A longtime Colorado middle school teacher killed herself in front of police as they approached her home this week as part of an investigation into allegations she had sex with a student.

Gretchen Krohnfeldt, 47, taught at Drake Middle School in Arvada where police say an employee claimed to have witnessed an inappropriate interaction between her and a male student months ago before reporting it this past Monday.

According to CBS News, Arvada police say the relationship allegedly began when the student, who is now in high school, attended Drake Middle.

The alleged sexual relations took place at Krohnfeldt's home, cops said.

Krohnfeldt, a mother of three, was placed on leave by school officials Monday.

The Jefferson County Sheriff's Office did not cite the manner of Krohnfeldt's death, which is still under investigation by the coroner.

In a statement, Jefferson County Public Schools wrote:

On Monday, May 8, a school staff member reported a possible relationship between one Jeffco student and a teacher at Drake Middle School. The principal immediately called law enforcement and school district personnel. The teacher was immediately placed on administrative leave. We were informed that on Tuesday, May 9, the teacher passed away. ..Source.. by Inside Edition

Man who jumped from 11th story of Syracuse building was sex offender, state says

6-21-17 New York:

SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- A parolee who police said jumped to his death from the 11th floor of an apartment building Tuesday was a sex offender who had been been convicted of sexually assaulting a girl.

The New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision issued a statement Wednesday night identifying the parolee as Jason A. Jock.

Syracuse police said around 11:30 p.m. Tuesday officers were called to the Skyline Apartments at 753 James St. to investigate a suicide. Officers met with state parole officers who were already there.

Parole officers had taken Jock -- who lived at the building, according to state records -- into custody late Tuesday for a parole violation, police said.

Robert Seman, Alleged Rapist And Murderer, Jumps To Death From Courthouse Balcony

4-11-17 Ohio:

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio — A man charged with setting a fire that killed a girl he was accused of raping and her grandparents jumped to his death from a fourth-floor courthouse balcony on Monday, the day before jury selection in his death penalty trial.

Forty-eight-year-old Robert Seman Jr. was being led by deputies from a courtroom after a status conference to a holding cell at the Mahoning County Courthouse in Youngstown when he killed himself, Sheriff Jerry Greene told the Youngstown Vindicator.

"According to a couple of the attorneys and basically everybody there, it seemed like he was in pretty good spirits,'' Greene said. "He was talking about the future of his trial, and he just decided to jump.''

Seman could have faced the death penalty if convicted in the deaths of 10-year-old Corrine Gump, 63-year-old William Schmidt and 61-year-old Judith Schmidt. The March 2015 fire at the family's home occurred the day Seman's trial in Corrine's rape was scheduled to begin in Youngstown. Investigators concluded that the fire was fuelled by gasoline. Burns were found on Seman's body after his arrest, prosecutors said.

Glendale Police: Man, woman died of self-inflicted gunshot wounds at Glendale home

4-9-17 Arizona:

GLENDALE, AZ - Police are releasing more information after a man and woman who were found dead in a Glendale home over the weekend.

A Phoenix spokesperson said they were serving a search warrant to a home near 59th and Peoria avenues on Saturday night in connection to a child pornography investigation.

While officers were entering the home they heard a single gunshot, officials said. Dan Ray Reynolds, 47, and 32-year-old Jessica Rochelle Garcia were found dead inside the home.

It’s believed that both Garcia and Reynolds suffered self-inflicted gunshot wounds. The pair died at the scene, police said.

No additional information was immediately available. ..Source.. by

Advocacy groups link suicide of WCSH meteorologist to sex assault report

4-19-17 Maine:

Apparently relying on speculation by a radio talk show and two websites, the Maine Coalition Against Sexual Assault and Maine's National Alliance on Mental Illness issued a joint statement saying Tom Johnston "is being investigated for a reported sexual assault," but police won't confirm that, saying the case is still under investigation.

With little evidence and apparently relying on recent on-air speculation by a radio talk show and a pair of websites, two Maine advocacy groups for the prevention of suicide and sexual assault are attempting to connect a television weatherman’s suicide to an active sexual assault investigation.

The Maine Coalition Against Sexual Assault and Maine’s National Alliance on Mental Illness issued a joint public statement on Tuesday that said the WCSH-TV meteorologist, Tom Johnston, was “being investigated for a reported sexual assault.”

Accused Attleboro child molester dead in apparent suicide

8-16-16 Massachusetts:

ATTLEBORO — Police confirmed an accused child molester was found dead Tuesday morning of an apparent suicide, the day after he was arraigned in Attleboro District Court.

The body of Selvin Perez, 42, of 140 South Main St. in Attleboro, was found by a woman around 8:30 a.m. in a parking lot behind the Gardner Terrace apartment complex off Pine Street.

Police Chief Kyle Heagney said Perez died from knife wounds, and left a suicide note. Heagney declined to comment on the details of the note.

Perez was released from court Monday afternoon after he was arraigned on charges he groped the 5-year-old daughter of a man who invited him over for beers at his South Main Street home last Friday.

County Attorney waiting on autopsy to call for Grand Jury

1-17-17 Nebraska:

North Platte, NEB. - Lincoln County Attorney, Rebecca Harling, is waiting on the final autopsy before making a request for a grand jury after a North Platte man killed himself during a police pursuit on Sunday.

37-year-old Robert Mills died after North Platte Police tried to arrest him on felony warrants. Mills was facing several charges of sexual assault of a child and felony child abuse. Mills had missed his December court appearance.

Mills was spotted on the Buffalo Bill Viaduct by a witness, who then called 911. Officials say as police tried to make contact, Mills ran away with a hand gun and then shot himself in an alley. He died at the scene.

Bristol police investigating murder; suspect identified as a neighbor with pending sexual assault case

1-10-17 Connecticut:

BRISTOL — A woman was found slain in her home Monday evening, and the suspect in the case committed suicide in a Hartford motel hours after the killing, police said.

At about 7:14 p.m., police responded to 66 Timber Lane when a family member found 59-year-old Gale McIntyre, the homeowner, dead. The manner of death appeared suspicious, as she apparently died of blunt trauma. Police declined to elaborate on McIntyre’s injuries.

Police said the suspect in McIntyre’s death — 44-year-old Robert Newman — was found dead in a Hartford motel at about 11 p.m. Police said he hanged himself. Newman was a neighbor of McIntyre, residing at 87 Timber Lane.

Newman was identified as a possible suspect as officers were interviewing residents in the Timber Lane neighborhood.

“Some neighbors expressed some concern about him,” said Detective Lt. Kevin Morrell.

Four Under Investigation for Child Pornography Found Dead with Suicide Notes Claiming They are Innocent

This documents the death of Andy Keith Hunt: Two of "Four Under Investigation for Child Pornography..."

10-3-2013 Alabama:

Four bodies found inside a car near Double Springs, Alabama last week have been identified by police.

Kristie Hunt Campbell Hamrick, Robert Samuel Hamrick, Andy Keith Hunt, and Kevin Carey, all of Savannah, Tennessee, were found dead last Wednesday night. Winston County Sheriff Rick Harris confirms that the four were under investigation for child pornography inn Tennessee. However, only Kristie Hamrick and her ex-husband Robert Hamrick had been charged with having child pornography on a computer at their Tennessee home.

Trial for the Hamricks was set to begin on Wednesday, the same day they were found dead. Along with the bodies were notes from all four people, declaring their innocence in the alleged crimes. The notes also detailed their requested funeral arrangements.

Forensic evidence showed that Andy Keith Hunt shot the others with a Mossberg 500 A 12-gauge pump-action shotgun, which was the only weapon found at the scene. He is then believed to have gotten into the car and killed himself.

Four Under Investigation for Child Pornography Found Dead with Suicide Notes Claiming They are Innocent

This documents the death of Kristie Hunt Campbell Hamrick: Four of "Four Under Investigation for Child Pornography..."

10-3-2013 Alabama:

Four bodies found inside a car near Double Springs, Alabama last week have been identified by police.

Kristie Hunt Campbell Hamrick, Robert Samuel Hamrick, Andy Keith Hunt, and Kevin Carey, all of Savannah, Tennessee, were found dead last Wednesday night. Winston County Sheriff Rick Harris confirms that the four were under investigation for child pornography inn Tennessee. However, only Kristie Hamrick and her ex-husband Robert Hamrick had been charged with having child pornography on a computer at their Tennessee home.

Trial for the Hamricks was set to begin on Wednesday, the same day they were found dead. Along with the bodies were notes from all four people, declaring their innocence in the alleged crimes. The notes also detailed their requested funeral arrangements.

Forensic evidence showed that Andy Keith Hunt shot the others with a Mossberg 500 A 12-gauge pump-action shotgun, which was the only weapon found at the scene. He is then believed to have gotten into the car and killed himself.

Human remains found in woods after family dog discovers femur bone

12-23-16 Mississippi:

PEARL RIVER COUNTY, MS (WLOX) - Skeletal remains were discovered off George Mitchell Rd. in Pearl River County on Monday after a family dog dragged a femur bone out of the woods.

Coroner Derek Turnage said this is not the first time this dog has found human remains in the woods.

The black lab brought part of a skull out of the same area of woods on Aug. 19. Turnage said the area was thoroughly searched after the skull was discovered, but no other remains were found.

This time, search crews were able to have more success with the help of a bloodhound named Bo.

Pearl River County Emergency Operations Director Danny Manly said the owner of the lab contacted the sheriff’s department Monday morning, and deputies worked with members of the county’s search and rescue team to scour the area.

Male teacher and ‘husband’ accused of sexual contact with gay teens found dead

Documents death of Aric Babbitt (another post documents Matthew Deyo death)

9-16-16 Minnesota:

A homosexual elementary school teacher, who was "married" to another man, killed himself and his "husband" in an apparent murder-suicide after the two were allegedly caught having inappropriate contact with students, according to Dakota County court documents.

Forty-year-old Aric Babbitt and 36-year-old Matthew Deyo were under investigation for regularly taking adolescent boys on overnight trips, specifically boys who identified as possibly gay, with parental approval, even though the men were openly homosexual.

According to court records, Babbitt assured parents that he was "mentoring" their children, and when questioned about inappropriate gifts he gave them, such as underwear and skimpy yoga shorts, Babbitt told the parents that they wouldn't understand because "It's a gay thing."

Arrested pastor dies by suicide

6-28-16 Georgia:

A former Jeffersonsville, Indiana pastor arrested in Frankfort for attempting to have sex with a minor committed suicide Monday in Marietta, Ga. The Cobb County Medical Examiner’s Office told The State Journal Brown died of asphyxia from hanging himself.

The Attorney General’s Office Cyber Crimes Unit arrested the former pastor David James Brown, 46, when he drove to Frankfort earlier this month and attempted to arrange a sexual encounter with an investigator posing as a minor.

Given Brown’s death, Franklin County Attorney Rick Sparks dismissed the case with prejudice Tuesday.

First Christian Church had released a statement when Brown was charged saying it was “a sad day for our church,” and they had placed Brown on temporary administrative leave and he was “relieved of all his ministerial duties pending further investigations.”

Brown had been a senior pastor at the church for a little over a year and met the minor on the KIK messenger app.

Third Grade Teacher Commits Suicide Following a Sexual Assault Allegation

10-20-16 Washington DC:

Less than three weeks after being confronted by school officials over a sexual abuse allegation, a DCPS teacher took his own life.

John Domenick Bontempo, a 45-year-old third grade teacher at Neval Thomas Elementary School in Northeast, was in the process of taking on a formal mentoring role with a D.C. youth when the situation turned tragic. The mother of the minor accused him of child sexual abuse, setting off police and school investigations that were underway when Bontempo committed suicide in late August, according to police reports and interviews with a number of investigating agencies.

Karen Douglas, program manager with the National Center for Children and Families, notified the Metropolitan Police Department on Aug. 26 that she had received an emailed suicide threat that morning from Bontempo, who taught writing, social studies, and science.

“Apparently there had been some allegation regarding a young person [Bontempo] had contact with,” says Douglas, who until then had been unaware of the situation. “He didn’t mention specifics, but he was devastated that anyone would think he would have such a relationship given how close he was to the youth and the family. He said goodbye, and that he knew the action he was going to take was going to impact people who cared about him.”

Air Force colonel accused of sex offenses found dead at his Colorado Springs home

9-26-16 Colorado:

A colonel assigned to Schriever Air Force Base and under investigation of committing several sex offenses was found dead early Sunday at his Colorado Springs home.

Air Force Col. Eugene Marcus Caughey, 46, was due to face a court-martial on Oct. 17 for multiple charges, including sexual offenses, adultery and conduct unbecoming an officer and gentleman.

The military announced his death on Monday.

Caughey was assigned as an Air Force Space Command special staff member and had been in the Air Force since 1993, according to an Air Force news release.

Caughey was a former 50th Space Wing vice commander at Schriever, just east of Colorado Springs, before he was removed from his position on June 17, 2015, when the investigation into his alleged misconduct began.

Police: Hummelstown man kills self one day after being charged with child porn

2-10-2016 Pennsylvania:

HUMMELSTOWN, Pa.–Police said a Hummelstown man committed suicide a day after he was charged by the state Attorney General’s office with possessing child pornography.

Dion Jeremy Rider, 41, died Feb. 4 after his body was found in the westbound lanes of Route 322 in Hummelstown just before 8 p.m. Investigators believe Rider walked off a bridge that crosses over Route 322. His vehicle was found on Hanover Street near the overpass.

Rider had been charged on Feb. 3 with 15 counts of child pornography, 2 counts of disseminating photos/film of child sex acts and two counts of criminal use of a communication facility, according to online court documents.

A preliminary hearing was scheduled for Feb. 18.

The case was closed following Rider’s death, according to online court documents. ..Source.. by Valerie Waltz,

Wanted sex offender identified as man who killed himself during Auburn police pursuit

2-25-16 Louisiana:

Auburn police have identified the man who shot and killed himself during a pursuit on Wednesday.

The man was identified as Bobby Keith Brumfield, 40, of Franklinton, Louisiana.

Brumfield was a registered sex offender in Louisiana. At the time of his death, he was wanted by wanted by the East Baton Rouge Sheriff's Office in connection to aggravated burglary, second-degree battery, second-degree robbery, simple assault and theft of a motor vehicle.

Auburn police say Brumfield is responsible Wednesday's armed convenience store robbery that started the whole incident. They responded to the call in the 3000 block of Cox Road at about 11:50 a.m.

Officers soon found the 1987 Jeep Wrangler and driver that matched the suspect description. Brumfield was driving.

Casa Grande sex offender commits suicide as police question him

3-18-16 Florida:

CASA GRANDE -- A man wanted in Pinal County for possessing thousands of files of child pornography committed suicide Thursday as police questioned him in Florida, authorities said.

In February, the Casa Grande Police Department assisted the Pinal County Adult Probation search the residence of 45-yar-old Albert Thomas Shade, a registered sex offender living in Casa Grande. During the search, probation officers seized numerous items of Shade’s property, including a computer, Casa Grande police said.

Shade absconded to Florida and Pinal County Adult Probation issued a warrant for his arrest, police said.

The computer was turned over to the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office Forensics Analysis Unit where over 800,000 files of child pornography were discovered, according to police. Casa Grande Police Detectives contacted the City of Sebastian Police Department in Florida and requested their assistance in locating Shade.

Man wanted on sex offender warrant kills himself in Kentucky

3-8-16 Kentucky:

A man wanted by police for a sex offender registration violation, and who was considered a suspect by the family members of a woman killed in late February, is dead after apparently taking his own life in Kentucky.

Wendy Whitney, 41, was killed on February 29th outside a home in the 1200 block of Foster Avenue. Whitney’s relatives and friends told police that they believed Christopher Deshun Long, 43, was a suspect in her death. Police said they were looking for Long, after a warrant was issued in Kalamazoo for a sex offender registration violation.

The Sheriff’s Department of Cumberland County in Kentucky called the Kalamazoo Township Police Department around 2 a.m. Tuesday. Deputies told them after making contact with Long, he stabbed himself repeatedly with a knife. Long was taken to a local hospital where he died.

In a release, police confirmed they are investigating Long’s involvement in Whitney’s death, but aren’t yet calling him a suspect. ..Source.. by

Child abuse detective commits suicide after soliciting sex acts from minors

2-5-16 Virginia:

Manassas, Virginia Detective David Edward Abbott Jr. devoted his career to protecting children (or so it appeared), serving for more than a decade on a task force aimed at rescuing children being lured in by sexual predators on the internet. Think Chris Hansen on the hit reality television series “To Catch a Predator.”

Even Abbott’s personal life revolved around children. The 39-year-old detective spent years coaching teenage boys in a youth hockey league – which would later become the source of all his problems. Last month, it was reported that police learned Abbott had sent sexually inappropriate text messages to a 13-year-old boy in the hockey league, requesting sex acts via phone and social media. The inappropriate behavior went on for more than two years; the boy was 11 years old when it began.

On December 15, police attempted to execute a search warrant at Abbott’s townhouse where he lived with his mother around 2:30 a.m., which resulted in a four-hour standoff. Police had “obtained four felony arrest warrants – two counts of indecent liberties by a custodian and two counts of use of a communication device to solicit a sexual offense,” reports The Washington Post.