Posted on 01/26/2002 1:18:16 PM PST by Wolfstar
Police examine note in apparent suicide
By ERIC HANSON and MARY FLOOD
Copyright 2002 Houston Chronicle
SUGAR LAND -- A former Enron executive who resigned last year -- reportedly after complaining about accounting practices that led to the firm's collapse -- was found dead Friday, an apparent suicide.
Police said they expect the autopsy results on John Clifford Baxter, the former Enron Corp. vice chairman, to be released Monday.
SNIP...
...Baxter, 43, was discovered about 2:20 a.m. in the driver's seat of his Mercedes-Benz, parked in the 5800 block of Palm Royale Boulevard.
He had been shot once in the head and a .38-caliber revolver was found inside the locked car, investigators said.
Sugar Land police were examining a suicide note, said [Sugar Land police spokeswoman Pat] Whitty, but she would not disclose its contents or say where it was found.
Sources familiar with Baxter's death said Enron was mentioned in the note.
Baxter's car was being inspected for fingerprints or other evidence this weekend.
SNIP...
His luxury sedan was parked in a cut-through in the median of the tree-lined boulevard, within blocks of the $700,000 home he shared with his wife and two children in Sugar Land's most exclusive neighborhood.
Because the evidence of suicide was considered so strong, Fort Bend County Precinct 4 Justice of the Peace James Richard initially chose not to order an autopsy.
"There just wasn't any evidence of foul play," said Richard, noting that police did not request an autopsy.
However, because of the attention being focused on Baxter's death, he changed his mind just before noon.
"I decided to use an overabundance of caution," Richard said.
SNIP...
He had hired an attorney and knew it was likely he was about to be deposed and questioned by lawyers, federal investigators and maybe even Congress. In addition to questions about his work at Enron, there were questions about his own sale of more than 577,000 shares that garnered him $35.2 million between October 1998 and early 2001.
SNIP...
Also Friday, ABC News reported that Baxter and 48 other people had received subpoenas this month from the Senate Government Affairs Subcommittee on Permanent Oversight and Investigation.
Baxter was discovered by a Precinct 4 constable's deputy, who saw the Mercedes during routine patrol, said police Sgt. Truman Body [note: his last name is Body]. He said the deputy drove by again about 15 minutes later, saw the mortally wounded Baxter and called for an ambulance.
Police had to smash the right-rear window to get into the car. The car was towed to a private storage lot near Richmond for examination.
SNIP...
When Baxter resigned in May 2001, Enron's news release said it was to spend additional time with his family. It said he still would be an Enron consultant.
By all accounts, he did not take on significant other work. Instead, he stepped up his interest in yachting.
But when the company faltered several months later, Baxter was named in dozens of federal lawsuits, along with other former and current Enron executives who sold stock and took profits while lower-level employees were left with little in stock and retirement plans.
Dennis Onstott, a Gulf Coast marine insurer, knew Baxter from selling him yachts years ago and from his largess with Onstott's favorite charity, the Sunshine Kids, which helps children with cancer.
"He was the nicest, most conscientious man. It's hard to imagine him (committing suicide)," said Onstott.
But Jerry V. Mutchler, president of Junior Achievement of Southeast Texas, where Baxter served on the board, saw a different side.
Baxter's activity with the board was at its peak while he was at Enron, Mutchler said. He even was scheduled to join the board's executive committee until he left Enron.
"I consider him larger than life. He was a very generous man who worked very hard and ran very hard," Mutchler said. "That kind of man can be more sensitive than someone who plodded through life."
He said several others active in Junior Achievement had talked with Baxter recently and found "he wasn't very happy these last few weeks."
"He was depressed and disappointed about all that had happened," Mutchler said. "Who wouldn't be?"
SNIP...
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(1) Several of Baxter's acquaintences say he was depressed.
(2) He was essentially unemployed since last May.
(3) He was recently named in "dozens" of lawsuits, and was under a Senate subpeona.
(4) He had hired an attorney and knew that he faced significant legal issues.
(5) His car was observed by a police officer twice within about 15 minutes. The second time, the officer found Baxter shot in the head, but still alive. The officer did not report seeing anyone else other than the driver.
(6) Baxter was in his own locked car, with a gun in his hand and a suicide note in the car.
And where are the Feds in all this? I 'd be willing to bet that whatever is left of Enron has its hooks pretty well into local law enforcement in Houston.
Will someone with knowledge about suicides and what happens to a gun after a suicide, please post your info?
Apparently, Houston and D.C. law enforcement have a lot in common...
What I find strange is where he parked the car to shoot himself. That's odd.
2)And I know he's at the heart of the scandal because he's DEAD, no matter what the cause of death. He was either killed because he knew too much, or he killed himself because he knew too much. That means he was a player.
Hardly conclusive evidence of intent to commit suicide.
(2) He was essentially unemployed since last May.
Yea right. Unemployed, sailing about the coast of Florida in his Yacht and $35 million in the bank. Jeez, if that is unemployed I'm really hurting.
(3) He was recently named in "dozens" of lawsuits, and was under a Senate subpeona.
He of all people had the least to fear from those investigations. He was the one that was sounding the alarm months, years even, before the failure of Enron. In one account I read, telling everyone that would listen that accounting practices had to change. There is far more reason for someone to take care of him than for him to fret about any questioning that might be put to him.
(4) He had hired an attorney and knew that he faced significant legal issues.
He had $35 million. What, he was worried about his attorney's cost? Other legal issues? See above.
(5) His car was observed by a police officer twice within about 15 minutes. The second time, the officer found Baxter shot in the head, but still alive. The officer did not report seeing anyone else other than the driver.
Oh, well. They did not see anyone. That is conclusive.
(6) Baxter was in his own locked car, with a gun in his hand and a suicide note in the car.
Of course, cars only lock from the inside. None of us have yet figured out how to lock our cars once outside of them.
This guy knew too much is still a credible explanation for his death. Rushed pronouncements of suicide, no autopsy ordered...no one is that stupid that they would fail to realize foul play could be involved.
Who do you work for?
he was killed by "mr green", with the "revolver", in the "comedian strip?..."
keys in the ignition?
motor running?
right-handed, left-handed?
entry wound, mouth? temple? behind ear? right side? left side?
alcohol/drugs in system?
umemployed???? with $35-million
need "more clues", this doesn't make sense
An unemployed millionaire. Sounds like the best "job" in the world. He had the resources to start his own business and create a job for himself if he chose. Depression and future prosecution are not strong motives for suicide. If they were, prisons would be far less crowded.
A responsible man would cooperate with the investigation and be there for his family. Not snivveling in a Benz with a gun to his head. I'm not convinced
you highlight this part of the article:
Baxter was discovered by a Precinct 4 constable's deputy, who saw the Mercedes during routine patrol, said police Sgt. Truman Body [note: his last name is Body]. He said the deputy drove by again about 15 minutes later, saw the mortally wounded Baxter and called for an ambulance.
Police had to smash the right-rear window to get into the car.
This implies NOTHING. FYI, mortally wounded means that he was dead. The story only says that the officer saw Baxter's *car* during patrol, then he went back 15 minutes later and found Baxter dead.
This is totally consistent with a hit.
I will get my ultra detailed dictionary and see if I can find it. Looking the words up seperately, it could go either way.
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