The L.A. County Sheriff’s Department said today that the death of 24-year-old Robert Fuller has been deemed a suicide.
Fuller was found hanging from a tree in a Palmdale park on June 10.
His death sparked anger and frustration in a community with a history of racism and harassment by the Sheriff’s Department.
LASD Commander Chris Marks said the investigation found that Fuller had a history of mental health issues. He said there were no signs of a struggle or of trauma on Fuller’s body, and investigators found “several prominent linear scars” on Fuller’s wrist “consistent with suicidal intent.”
[If you or a loved one needs help, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255. Los Angeles County maintains a 24-hour bilingual hotline at 800-854-7771]
He discussed — but did not show — evidence of Fuller using an EBT card at a Dollar Store to buy a red rope similar to the one used in the hanging.
Marks said the Las Vegas Police Department reported that Fuller tried to take his own life there in February. He cited three other instances since 2017 at hospitals in California, Nevada and Arizona in which Fuller reported having suicidal thoughts.
We’ve reached out to the Fuller family’s attorney for comment.
Sheriff Alex Villanueva said he understood that some were frustrated by what seemed like the “maddeningly slow” pace of the investigation, but he said the fact that it took less than a month meant this case was “one of the easier ones.”
The California Attorney General and the FBI have been monitoring the investigation. Many in the community have called on the Attorney General to conduct an independent investigation.
You can watch the full update from the Sheriff's Department below:
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