Courtesy of Su Teatro
Audio By Carbonatix
The Colorado Bureau of Investigation is reviewing the investigation into the 2005 death of pugilistic journalist Hunter S. Thompson at the request of his widow, Anita Thompson, after the Pitkin County Sheriff’s Office referred the case to the statewide investigative agency.
According to Pitkin County Sheriff Michael Buglione, there is no new evidence suggesting foul play, and the original conclusion of suicide still stands. But with the CBI now combing through the two-decade-old file, the death of Woody Creek’s most famous resident is back under official scrutiny.
Thompson was found dead in his home on February 20, 2005, at 67 years old. Investigators at the time detailed a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. The ruling of suicide has never been overturned, and over the ensuing decades that finding has not been seriously questioned. Until now.
Buglione said Anita Thompson reached out to him early this year, unsure at first whether to pursue further action. “She was kind of hesitant about it,” Buglione explained at a press conference on Wednesday, October 1. The sheriff said he advised Anita to talk it over with family and friends before making a decision.
Buglione stressed that he intentionally did not press her for details about what prompted her concerns.
“That is something you’d probably have to talk to Mrs. Thompson about,” he told reporters, adding that he wanted her to be able to speak directly with CBI rather than repeat herself to his deputies. “I didn’t want her to have to explain it more than once or twice.”
Reviews like this are rare in Pitkin County, according to Buglione.
What Happens Next?
The case is in now in the CBI’s hands. There is no deadline for the process to conclude, nor is there an indication of what facts will be reviewed. The CBI noted in a September 30 press release that updates would be provided after the review is completed.
Asked whether Thompson’s fame made the referral more likely, Buglione rejected the idea. “It is not the fact that it was Hunter S. Thompson,” he explained. “I would do it for any grieving family member who maybe found new information about the death of a loved one.”
The sheriff was also clear that, in his view, the outcome is unlikely to change. “I’m very confident that our initial report holds true,” Buglione said, but he noted that if CBI were to find inconsistencies, his office would move forward from there.
Speculation about Thompson’s death has mostly remained on the fringes. Over the years, there has been little serious reporting that suggested anything other than suicide.
Buglione said the review was not meant to tamp down on rumors. “There was not any conspiracy theory that came to mind to me, or anything different than our initial report,” he said.
