Anyone been in the position of being part of a police investigation after someone they know has committed suicide?

[RCan]

Trying to figure out impact on friends and family if I do something.

Anyone ever been in the position where someone they knew took their life, and you then had to talk to police and be a part of an investigation into the causes of the death.

Just interested… if anyone is willing to talk… to hear what it was like, what kinds of questions you where asked, how thorough the investigation was etc.

Heavy topic I know, so only if it's something you really feel you can talk about and feel ok after…

 

[maniac116]

There have been witnesses to ctb's that have been investigated as aiding in a suicide. I don't know of the number of convictions though

 

[davidtorez]

After my mother killed herself back in 2017 the cops asked me only the basic questions such as my name etc. But I wasn't living with mum at the time she died , so it might be different if you're living with the person who kills themselves

 

[cloudyskye]

Briefly when my grandfather killed himself. He was in a different city and obviously committed suicide so there wasn't much if an investigation.
I cansay generally, depending on method and where you live, there will be at the very least a perfunctory investigation and an autopsy. In the U.S. they have to rule out any chance of homicide or coercion and almost everywhere if it's not a natural death there's an autopsy.

 

[ScaredOfMachines]

Trying to figure out impact on friends and family if I do something.

Anyone ever been in the position where someone they knew took their life, and you then had to talk to police and be a part of an investigation into the causes of the death.

Just interested… if anyone is willing to talk… to hear what it was like, what kinds of questions you where asked, how thorough the investigation was etc.

Heavy topic I know, so only if it's something you really feel you can talk about and feel ok after…

I had an immediate family member commit suicide. It through a gunshot so the cops immediately thought that it could have been murder instead of suicide, meaning that they quickly began interrogating my dad when they found their body. I was cleared of suspicion in a milisecond since I had a solid alibi and was also only eleven years old. They were going to lock my dad and I in a jail cell while they asked us questions, but one of the people on the force felt bad about locking up a grieving eleven year old so we got to stay at her house instead.

I was spared a lot of the questions since I was a child, but they were grilling my dad pretty hard. Asking questions about murder motivations, how rocky their relationships were, possible friends and about their attitude, etc. This went on for about three hours or so before they decided it was a suicide and sent us home.

 

[RCan]

I had an immediate family member commit suicide. It through a gunshot so the cops immediately thought that it could have been murder instead of suicide, meaning that they quickly began interrogating my dad when they found their body. I was cleared of suspicion in a milisecond since I had a solid alibi and was also only eleven years old. They were going to lock my dad and I in a jail cell while they asked us questions, but one of the people on the force felt bad about locking up a grieving eleven year old so we got to stay at her house instead.

I was spared a lot of the questions since I was a child, but they were grilling my dad pretty hard. Asking questions about murder motivations, how rocky their relationships were, possible friends and about their attitude, etc. This went on for about three hours or so before they decided it was a suicide and sent us home.

This sounds horrible :-(

 

[Forever Sleep]

I had an immediate family member commit suicide. It through a gunshot so the cops immediately thought that it could have been murder instead of suicide, meaning that they quickly began interrogating my dad when they found their body. I was cleared of suspicion in a milisecond since I had a solid alibi and was also only eleven years old. They were going to lock my dad and I in a jail cell while they asked us questions, but one of the people on the force felt bad about locking up a grieving eleven year old so we got to stay at her house instead.

I was spared a lot of the questions since I was a child, but they were grilling my dad pretty hard. Asking questions about murder motivations, how rocky their relationships were, possible friends and about their attitude, etc. This went on for about three hours or so before they decided it was a suicide and sent us home.

This sounds terrifying. Did they leave a note? May I ask?

I imagine that's one simple way to start allaying suspicion. To leave a note explaining that it was suicide and no one else was involved.

 

[rozeske]

Depending where you live there will likely be initial investigations and autopsies done to rule out cause of death but almost all deaths can be distinguished whether they were self inflicted or murder.

 

[Valhala]

I wasn't in the police, but I talked to the police investigator who came to the emergency room when one of my friends committed CTB with poison. She drank a pesticide used in agriculture, it's a horrible and painful death. When we found her, she was lying on on the ground she had red foam on her mouth. The police investigator was checking her phone and notes to determine if it was really CTB.

 

[RCan]

In England where I live they have a full inquest after someone dies - they summon witnesses and have then testify at a public inquest where the media can be present and everything. They try really carefully to determine what the events were that led up to the suicide and whether the death could have been prevented in some way. Might be useful for some reasons but absolutley don't want to out my family through that. Thinking of going to Scotland or another country where they have different procedures to end it. Really desperate to go at the moment, which makes planning all this v hard.
Will definitley leave a suicide note

 

[dontwakemeup]

I personally never have but my co-worker son committed suicide. She immediately called 911 in hopes he could be rescued but it was too late.

What I remember the most was during the investigation/911 someone grabbed his suicide note, the mother wasn't aware he had one nearby.

She told me about 1-2 weeks the police called here and said she could come and pick up his suicide letter. She never did, and said she never will. I couldn't believe it, I would have ran to get it! She said she wants to remember the son how he was and she didn't want to ever read the letter and told them to destroy it.

Hopefully, that helped in some way.

 

[cloudyskye]

In England where I live they have a full inquest after someone dies - they summon witnesses and have then testify at a public inquest where the media can be present and everything. They try really carefully to determine what the events were that led up to the suicide and whether the death could have been prevented in some way. Might be useful for some reasons but absolutley don't want to out my family through that. Thinking of going to Scotland or another country where they have different procedures to end it. Really desperate to go at the moment, which makes planning all this v hard.
Will definitley leave a suicide note

I understand wanting to spare your family. Do they publicize the investigation? That's crazy. One thing you may want to consider, if you go to another country your family will be responsible for transpoting your body home if they want it. That may be expensive.

 

[Overwhelmed52]

In England where I live they have a full inquest after someone dies - they summon witnesses and have then testify at a public inquest where the media can be present and everything. They try really carefully to determine what the events were that led up to the suicide and whether the death could have been prevented in some way. Might be useful for some reasons but absolutley don't want to out my family through that. Thinking of going to Scotland or another country where they have different procedures to end it. Really desperate to go at the moment, which makes planning all this v hard.
Will definitley leave a suicide note

I keep hoping I'll get sick and die, in part to save from all the much-a-doo about cbt. Does anyone know how to catch a fast-acting fatal disease :)

 

[ScaredOfMachines]

This sounds terrifying. Did they leave a note? May I ask?

I imagine that's one simple way to start allaying suspicion. To leave a note explaining that it was suicide and no one else was involved.

They didn't leave a note, just sent an email to me shortly before wishing that I had a great day. The police saw it, since they apparently went rifling through my computer during the investigation. If anything I guess that increased the chance they thought it was a murder.