The Broken Cherub: Suicide or Murder?
The following is from a case I worked as a police detective and crime-scene investigator. The names have been changed and the photos have been altered out of respect for the deceased and family.
“My cousin’s not breathing!” screamed the hysterical female over the headphones. “She’s cold… and she has a gun in her hand!”
The 911 dispatcher tried to calm the woman down so she could get the location from her. The caller was using a cellphone, so no address had appeared on the computer terminal. As soon as she was able to obtain one, the dispatcher immediately routed patrol officers and emergency medical technicians.
It was an apartment complex on the north side of our little Northwest Arkansas city, in an area known for its many low-rent houses, apartment buildings, and duplexes. The quiet morning was shattered by the wailing of sirens as paramedics arrived first on scene. They made entry into the apartment and found a young woman lying in the floor. Just as the caller had described, she appeared to be lifeless with a gun in her hand. Once they confirmed she was dead, they backed away and turned the scene over to police.
