News

Investigators to review the 2005 shooting death of Hunter S. Thompson, which was ruled a suicide

Investigators to review the 2005 shooting death of Hunter S. Thompson, which was ruled a suicide

FILE - Journalist Hunter S. Thompson, left, and his wife, Anita Thompson, right, are shown at the Pitkin County Court House during their civil wedding ceremony April 23, 2003, in Aspen, Colo. Photo: Associated Press/(AP Photo/Louisa Davidson, File)


ASPEN, Colo. (AP) — Investigators in Colorado are reviewing the 2005 shooting death of journalist Hunter S. Thompson, which was ruled a suicide, authorities said.
There’s no new evidence suggesting foul play Thompson’s death, but the Pitkin County Sheriff’s Office requested the review at the behest of Thompson’s widow, Anita Thompson, the sheriff’s office and Colorado Bureau of Investigation said in a news release Tuesday.
Investigators are committed to answering any “lingering questions” surrounding his death, Sheriff Michael Buglione said.
“We understand the profound impact Hunter S. Thompson had on this community and beyond,” he said. “By bringing in an outside agency for a fresh look, we hope to provide a definitive and transparent review that may offer peace of mind to his family and the public.”
Thompson, who popularized a first-person form of “gonzo” journalism in articles and books such as “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas,” died at his Aspen-area home in February 2005. He was 67.
At the time, his family said in a statement that he “took his life with a gunshot to the head.”
Anita Thompson told The Associated Press days after her husband’s death that he had been talking about suicide in months leading up to it.
“He feels at the peak of his life right now, has a very successful career, has a network of perfect friends,” she said at the time. “If he quit now, he would feel he was a champion.”
Any review will not include a reexamination of the writer’s remains, which were famously cremated and fired from a cannon at his request during a private ceremony in Colorado. Among the celebrities who attended was actor Johnny Depp, who played the lead role in the 1998 film adaptation of “Fear and Loathing.”
Neither the CBI nor the sheriff’s office immediately responded to Wednesday emails seeking further details about their decision to reexamine the death. No one answered a call to a number listed as Anita Thompson or responded to an email sent to a nonprofit she founded.
Besides the 1972 classic about his trip to Las Vegas, Hunter S. Thompson also wrote “Fear and Loathing: On the Campaign Trail ’72.” The central character in those wild, sprawling satires was `”Dr. Thompson,” a snarling, drug- and alcohol-crazed observer and participant.
Thompson is credited alongside Tom Wolfe and Gay Talese with helping pioneer New Journalism, or as he dubbed his version, “gonzo journalism,” in which writers made themselves an essential component of the story.

Recent Headlines

4 hours ago in Entertainment

Beloved ‘Reading Rainbow’ returns after nearly 20 years with new host Mychal Threets

After nearly 20 years, the beloved, long-running children's series "Reading Rainbow" is back, this time on the KidZuko YouTube channel.

4 hours ago in Entertainment

Kim Kardashian and Kris Jenner sue Ray J for defamation over racketeering claims

Kim Kardashian and her mother, Kris Jenner, are suing her ex-boyfriend Ray J for saying they are under federal investigation and on the verge of being indicted.

11 hours ago in National, Trending

Trump uses government shutdown to dole out firings and punishment

President Donald Trump has seized on the government shutdown as an opportunity to reshape the federal workforce and punish detractors, by threatening mass firings of workers and suggesting "irreversible" cuts to programs important to Democrats.

12 hours ago in National, Trending

Delta jets have a ‘low-speed collision’ on LaGuardia taxiway, injuring 1

Two Delta Air Lines regional jets collided on the taxiway at LaGuardia Airport in New York, injuring a flight attendant, damaging a cockpit and tearing off part of a wing in what the airline described as a "low-speed collision."

12 hours ago in Lifestyle, Trending

Gatorade and Cheetos are among the Pepsi products getting a natural dye makeover

PepsiCo, which also makes Doritos, Cap'n Crunch cereal, Funyuns and Mountain Dew, announced in April that it would accelerate a planned shift to using natural colors in its foods and beverages.