Grand jury looks into ’08 suicide, calls death ‘suspicious’
FRESNO — The 2008 death of a 21-year-old woman, long believed a suicide, has been ruled a premature death by the Fresno County Grand Jury.
Monday’s report from the civilian grand jury referred to the death of the unnamed African American woman as “suspicious,” and indicated that Coroner David Hadden had reconsidered his initial ruling that the death was self-inflicted.
The woman was found naked on the floor of her apartment with a single gunshot wound to the head. A rifle was found near her body and a barbell was discovered on top of the weapon.
The grand jury report pointed out that most witnesses thought the woman’s death was suspicious and highlighted “many inconsistencies” within early reports filed by the Coroner’s Office and sheriff’s department investigators.
The grand jury is now seeking a response from Hadden and Fresno County Sheriff Margaret Mims. Both will have 60 days to respond to the findings on the woman‘s death.