I wonder if anyone can tell me based on their experience or secondhand knowledge, does the police department typically not release a suicide note and retain it as evidence in an investigation?  I did not get the one written by my son returned to me with his personal affects, but I am aware that one was written because it is mentioned in the police report.  I called the evidence dept regarding this, and the person did not have an explanation for me, other than to say that she had verified everything on her check-off sheet.  This is very troubling to me.  I would appreciate it if anyone has information that can shed more light on the situation, as to what is the protocol regarding suicide notes.  Thank you in advance.

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The sherriff's dept. kept my daughter's notes until they finished the investigation,  Then they returned them. My daughter wrote 8 notes, each addressed to the someone she loved. Yours should be returned to you when the investigation is complete.


Wanda Clark said:
Theresa, I'm sorry for your lost. Yes, the police dept. typically releases the note.  I wasn't aware that my daughter had written one, until the detective on the case informed me. It was comforting to know she had written one saying goodbye to us. This was 16 yrs ago and my daughter was 15yrs old. They found the note when they arrived at our home. I was so out of it when they arrived, I hadn't thought about a note at that time. I was pleased to know one was written, it helped in the healing process.
Theresa, My daughter was also 15 when she committed suicide. It has been 12 yrs. now. Some days it feels like yesterday!! The pic I used for this profile is a pic of her. All we can do is take one day at a time and try and concentrate on our present lives and the loved ones that are still here! Her friends stayed in contact with me, and that helps a lot! I love remembering the funny times and hearing about the stuff I never knew til afterward!!
I am not sure but I think it is with the "evidence", I think you should be able to get a copy of it.  I was lucky that my brother left his drivers license on the kitchen counter for identification and he hid his note in a drawer so that only we found it.  Each state is different but I think if you keep asking you can get a copy of it, I know the note had helped quite a bit but I don't think we will ever understand it all.
I believe that you should be able to see it!  I wonder if they "misplaced" it somewhere so thats the answer you get?  I would keep climbing up the chain of command until you get results. The proof is in the police report that says there is one.
I will.  Thanks.  I made a call on Friday, haven't heard back, so I'll put another call in this week. I work a night and a swing shift tomorrow, so Friday.  It's aggravating, but I will keep at them.
I'm afraid you're right, but it amazes me how we are still driven to do all these things.  Trying to put every possible piece in it's place; ironically, since we know some of the pieces of the puzzle will still be missing when we do and will still not get a complete picture/understanding.

mpott said:
I am not sure but I think it is with the "evidence", I think you should be able to get a copy of it.  I was lucky that my brother left his drivers license on the kitchen counter for identification and he hid his note in a drawer so that only we found it.  Each state is different but I think if you keep asking you can get a copy of it, I know the note had helped quite a bit but I don't think we will ever understand it all.
Thank you everyone for your help and encouragement.  I recently received a call back from someone in the Detective Division.  I was told that the note they found on Charles should have been in with his other things that were released to me by the Evidence Dept.  She told me that she will look into the matter to see if it can be located.
Theresa: Indeed sometimes we must persevere when it feels like the physical strength or mental/emotional "energy" we need to do so is just not available to us, and I appreciate how you have followed up on this matter that is so important to you in your grief journey. Please take very good care of yourself as you continue to explore how get your needs met.

Theresa Sweaney said:
Thank you everyone for your help and encouragement.  I recently received a call back from someone in the Detective Division.  I was told that the note they found on Charles should have been in with his other things that were released to me by the Evidence Dept.  She told me that she will look into the matter to see if it can be located.
Status report: I received a response from the officer in charge today. He says that Evidence says they returned it with his other papers, but they didn't, so I am still working on it. Now I think I am just going to request a copy of everything they have on file pertaining to his death. The officer does have a copy however, and offered to email me a copy of it, which I said I would like to have done.
my son left a note on his brothers lap top and the police took in for evidence along with his older brothers shot gun and they didnt give anything back to us for about two weeks and they erase the letters but when the detective was at my house he let my husband and i read them he left one to my husband and l and one to his wife so i sent it over to my email address when they left the room.

You should be able to get that note. Even if it is a copy of it. If the police dept is done with their investigation, this should not be a problem.

Cozette

I was told that the note was released to me with Charles' other papers, but I didn't find it.  Apparently they don't have it, but at least the detective was able to email me a photocopy of his note.  Guess it's time to close this chapter and move forward.  I guess I was hoping there was more to the note than the two or so lines that had been quoted in the police report, but it read exactly the same as in the report.  He basically just addressed his last wishes regarding his remains.  His sister, grandmother, and I had received brief (one sentence comment) digital messages prior to his death.  I wanted so to find a letter with more information, but I also realized that less than 15% leave that behind for their loved ones.

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