Page 307 - Some Dance to Remember

Some Dance to Remember 277

according to Abraham, belong to his uncle in San Francisco.
By way of background, we learned that the deceased had not worked
steadily since leaving the military. He and his wife had divorced and
remarried twice and had been separated on other numerous occasions.
The deceased was a Vietnam-era veteran and had recently been under
treatment at the VA Hospital in San Francisco. His brother, the above-
mentioned R. S. O’Hara, had permitted the deceased and his family to
live rent free in the main house for the last 16 months in return for work
on the property. At one point, the deceased had taken a number of his
wife’s sleeping pills. He was treated for a drug overdose at an unknown
area hospital. According to Sgt. Harter, area sheriffs deputies had made
several domestic runs to the ranch residence. Sgt. Harter was acquainted
with the deceased and, on at least one occasion, had referred him to a
friend for a job. He did not like his estranged wife working at the Win-
ners Circle Bar, but she, even while estranged, was basically the source of
family income which was also augmented by the deceased’s homosexual
brother. The deceased rarely drank or used nonprescription drugs. His use
of prescribed drugs, however, seems excessive. The drugs collected, issued
by the Veteran’s Administration Hospital in San Francisco, include Per-
cocet, Valium, Ativan, Darvocet, and Lithobid. This might bear further
investigation, but again this is also speculation.
Based upon our investigation, we can find no evidence that would
lead to any other conclusion but suicide. It is possible that the deceased
had stood on the weightlifting bench and leaned back against the rope
until he passed out. This would better explain his feet still being on the
weightlifting bench. It does not appear that he jumped off the weightlift-
ing bench. I believe that if the heavy iron bench could have been kicked
over or could have slid from under the victim, his feet would not have
remained on the weight-lifting bench.
Upon the arrival of Redwood Ambulance Service, I cut down the
body in the prescribed manner, preserving both knots, leaving the rope
attached to the victim, and sent it to the Coroner’s Office. Det. Darcan-
gelo and I secured the barn and the main residence at 1105 hours.
Investigation complete pending Coroner’s ruling.
Signed: Det. Sgt. Mike Flagerman
lcm

9

Ryan threw Thom’s Death Report on the floor. “What the hell does

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