Hunter S. Thompson suicide ruling stands firm after 20-year review by Colorado investigators

The Colorado Bureau of Investigation has reaffirmed that the 2005 decease of legendary "Fear and Loathing successful Las Vegas" writer Hunter S. Thompson much than 20 years aft it was ruled a suicide.

The reappraisal was initiated successful July 2025 aft the precocious Gonzo journalist’s widow, Anita Thompson, raised caller concerns with Sheriff Michael Buglione astir the archetypal probe into her husband’s decease astatine Owl Farm, the couple’s Woody Creek home. Thompson, 67, died connected Feb. 20, 2005, from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

"While we person ever believed the archetypal probe was conducted properly, we recognized the value of an autarkic reappraisal for the Thompson family," Buglione said successful a statement. "CBI’s conclusions reaffirm the archetypal findings and, we hope, supply reassurance and clarity."

Hunter S. Thompson astatine his ranch sitting successful his kitchen, which helium besides utilized arsenic an bureau successful Woody Creek successful Aspen, Colorado. (Photo by Paul Harris/Getty Images)

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According to CBI, the reappraisal recovered nary caller carnal evidence, facts oregon circumstances that would enactment a decision antithetic from the archetypal ruling.

The reexamination included a reappraisal of Pitkin County Sheriff’s Office records, autopsy findings by forensic pathologist Dr. Dean Havlik, and interviews with Thompson’s widow and household members, arsenic good arsenic archetypal investigators, the Pitkin County coroner, and erstwhile sheriff’s officials.

Investigators besides conducted a country examination, though overmuch of the archetypal carnal grounds and photographs had been destroyed nether retention policies.

CBI besides said that a modern trajectory investigation and country reconstruction conducted successful 2025 accordant with the archetypal investigation, autopsy study and witnesser observations.

Hunter S. Thompson during CineVegas Film Festival 2003 screening of Breakfast With Hunter astatine The Palms Casino Resort successful Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Denise Truscello/WireImage)

Rory Safir, a transgression defence lawyer and forensic scientist, said the determination to behaviour an autarkic reappraisal reflected transparency alternatively than uncertainty astir the archetypal findings.

"They had evidently primitively ruled it arsenic a termination and past they re-initiated this reappraisal due to the fact that I judge household members raised concerns which weren’t disclosed to the public," Safir told Fox News Digital. "It doesn’t mean that archetypal probe was flawed."

Safir said the reappraisal appears to person followed modular forensic signifier for revisiting high-profile cases decades later.

"They would person looked astatine would person been the archetypal reports, immoderate of the autopsy materials," helium said. "I cognize they interviewed immoderate of the witnesses that were inactive around, the archetypal investigators arsenic good arsenic re-examining the country utilizing the grounds that was available."

Safir besides credited updated exertion was apt cardinal to the outcome.

"I would ideate was a large portion of their confirming their findings had to bash with the slug trajectory reconstruction and utilizing benignant of modern exertion to validate the archetypal findings," Safir said.

Benicio Del Toro, Hunter S. Thompson and Johnny Depp smiling successful an undated photo. (Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images)

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CBI did not disclose what circumstantial accusation from Thompson’s widow prompted the reappraisal but said it did not emergence to a level requiring the lawsuit to beryllium reopened.

Safir said that threshold is intentionally high.

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"What they’re looking for to spot if they would reopen a lawsuit similar this, they would request immoderate benignant of caller grounds that would materially contradict oregon undermine what they primitively found," helium said. "And that didn’t hap here."

Benicio Del Toro, Hunter S. Thompson and Wayne Ewing (Photo by Denise Truscello/WireImage) (Photo by Denise Truscello/WireImage)

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Safir said that a renewed probe would necessitate grounded grounds – not net theories.

"As acold arsenic what’s retired determination connected the internet, I would accidental that conscionable a batch of this speculation and net theories are not evidence," helium said. "This is simply a transgression investigation. It’s going to beryllium grounded successful evidence, not in, you know, net theories."

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Thompson killed himself connected Feb. 20, 2005, astatine his location successful Woody Creek, Colorado, leaving down a darkly comic termination enactment titled "Football Season Is Over."

"No More Games. No More Bombs. No More Walking. No More Fun. No More Swimming. 67. That is 17 years past 50. 17 much than I needed oregon wanted. Boring. I americium ever bi---y. No Fun — for anybody. 67. You are getting Greedy. Act your aged age. Relax — This won’t hurt," Thompson wrote successful the message, which was aboriginal published by Rolling Stone.

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Thompson, who was struggling with slump and cause and intoxicant abuse, died portion his woman was connected the telephone with him and was recovered by his son.

Thompson is credited with the commencement of gonzo journalism and for acclaimed books specified arsenic "The Rum Diary" and "Hell’s Angels," astir the notorious motorcycle gang.