Posted on 07/17/2013 11:38:28 AM PDT by Paleo Conservative
CORPUS CHRISTI — Nueces County investigators are working hard to determine whether Tom Greenwell’s position as judge of the 319th District Court had anything to do with his suicide, Sheriff Jim Kaelin said Wednesday morning.
“We have to overturn the big stones as well as the little stones ... so everybody in our community is very comfortable understanding why he did what he did,” Kaelin said, adding his office is devoting all its resources to the case.
Investigators have strong leads toward understanding Greenwell’s motive. Kaelin said the judge was driven to believe suicide was “the only option he had.”
Greenwell, 56, was found dead Monday in his chambers on the eighth floor of the county courthouse by a cleaning crew member. Sheriff’s Capt. William Edge said it appeared the judge shot himself with a semi-automatic pistol they recovered.
Kaelin said Greenwell left a recently drafted, handwritten last will and testament at his home.
Greenwell was widely liked by courthouse personnel, judges and attorneys and consistently received high marks in evaluations by the county bar association.
Many who worked in the courthouse counted him as a friend, but he kept his private life closely guarded, they said. He had no local relatives. That has left many people here wondering when and what type of memorial will be held.
Kaelin said funeral arrangements are pending decisions by a brother of Greenwell’s who lives in Philadelphia.
“Kaelin said the judge was driven to believe suicide was “the only option he had.”
OK then...so, what was it?
Where’s the proof!!??
By ruling it suicide, no photos no details?
ummmm
Must be crimes.
“...he kept his private life closely guarded, they said. He had no local relatives.”
That may be a clue.
“Many who worked in the courthouse counted him as a friend, but he kept his private life closely guarded, they said. He had no local relatives”.
No family? Sounds like blackmail or he’d be outed. Just wondering... sad.
RIP, Judge.
Man I am going to go out on a limb here but does anyone else notice the Barney Frank smirk on his face? Child porn of little boys on his computer maybe?
He left a hand written will and last testament in his office. I’m sure the 9mm that was found nearby was make and serial number of Judge Greenwell’s pistol.
Better that than if he was another Judge Gary Little.
I think it had something to do with that Zeta guy they caught in Dallas the other day.
Thanks Paleo.
I seriously doubt that. Dallas is about 400 miles away.
In Texas, that's only a 1/2-day drive away. :-)
I was wondering what was going on with this story. Thanks for the ping.
Going through Austin can add another hour to the trip at some times of the day. I suppose one could bypass Austin and go 85 mph on the brand new TX-130 toll road.
Or 220 mph: Hennessey VR1200 Runs 220.5 MPH on Texas Toll Road
Seriously, I've taken that bypass. It's 11.5 miles farther than straight through on I-35. At posted speeds, I-35 is 4 minutes shorter. But, you can rarely drive the posted speeds through I-35.
No nearby family? No wife or children? Felt he had “no way out”. Okay...this is only speculation but the possibilities are:
1) He had a closet life that was about to be exposed.
2) He found out he had a terminal illness.
3) He simply fell into depression and, as a judge, found nobody he could turn to for help.
4) He was deeply in debt and this was his way of not having to face his debts.
I do not know if any of these apply to Greenwell, but if there is a sudden suicide, these are all common reasons why they happen.
I do disagree with the comment in the story that the community has to find a reason that they can be comfortable with. No they don’t. It was more or less a private act. It cannot be undone. Nueces County should simply grieve and move on. Let the authorities come up with a theory if they can but, even if they can’t, it changes nothing.
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