Former Enron Exec's Death Believed Suicide (Contains facts inconsistent with conspiracy theories)

Houston Chronicle ^ | January 26, 2002 | Eric Hanson and Mary Flood

[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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[Dave S]

Why should we believe the ME's report?

As opposed to your instant analysis? For one he is there and has analysed the evidence. Second he is trained in what he is doing and has experience with both suicides and murders.

[UberVernunft]

I know your assumption is wrong simply because I know of a number of famous and/or well-to-do people who have committed suicide.

LOL.

At least you think they were suicides! It's hard to keep a good conspiracy theory down.

[Dave S]

Didn't the article say that he had sold $32 million in Enron stock in the last few years?

And the article also said he was being sued as part of a eight class action law suits relating to the failure of Enron. In addition, since he may have done some insider trading ($14 Million in January 2001) the SEC may penalize him heavily for that. Then throw in the cost of the money grubbing lawyers for trying to keep him out of jail. Voila, a fortune lost. Now you and I could live on a million but someone like him probably would have a hard time of it.

[Dave S]

As Savage said, if we saw this in a movie we would think it is very possible the guy could have been killed, a note placed in his hand (and by the way his car locked from the outside with another key).

So we have fallen so far that now are standard for reality is whats in the movies. God help us, our education system has hit bottom. It can only do better. Tin foil all.

[KneelBeforeZod]

is that your new screen name, or have you really been here less than a week? The Rules also say don't attack each other.

[sinkspur]

You will have to forgive those of us who have vivid imaginations -- but after a decade of the Clintonistas it is impossible to operate without one.

Of course it's possible to not believe every kooky conspiracy theory that comes along.

But, if one is given to believing kooky conspiracy theories (that's NOT a vivid imagination) then this one is gold-plated for you guys.

They have all been meeting together to strategize for months and feeling each other out to see who is in and who is out. It has been "we all hang together or we will all hang separately". He was probably the one who they didn't trust to keep his mouth shut and develop early alzheimers.

See what I mean? No basis in fact, just Inspector-Harry-Callahan fantasizing.

I'll bet you listen to Art Bell.

[CWRWinger]

"Maybe because it's his job to determine the cause of death..."

This takes faith indeed, considering klintonesque, left of center political climate in Houston.

[cliff630]

RE# 6

... the worst scandal

How about Capital Management; the bond index fund whose
members were millionaires. Even had Nobel Laureates on
the team to do the numbers.

CM went bellyup in 1998. Guess who bailed these crooks out?
--- Alan Greenspan. I've always wondered if WJC played
a role in this bailout.

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

"Police had to smash the right-rear window to get into the car. "

This fact, tells me that the car was locked. That fact coupled with what I know about Mercedes Benz door locking mechanisms, tells me that the door was locked from the inside. Suicide. Period. Only one small piece of evidence would screw up this theory and since no one close to the case is likely to tell me, it'll have to remain a personal theory.

[glowworm]

But if you really know anything about Depression.. you know that the condition is a chemical imbalance of the brain.. usually occurring after extended *months* of fret and worry and a feeling of hopelessness.. Another strong indication of suicidal is hastenly "putting things in order".. Ppl who do that are to be watched closely.. Most reporters are as dumb as a post on these items.. especially knowledge of depression. Sounds more like extended Arkancide to me.. IMHO.

[Hildy]

Now here was a guy who KNEW what was going on at ENRON, but took the coward's way out...he took the money and ran. Coward, coward, coward. It's not surprising that he took the ultimate coward's way out.

[freekitty]

I believe the man really did commit suicide. It's very sad when someone does. I am no expert; but what I have heard about him; he was driven, worked constantly and was control minded. It sounds like he might be a candidate for suicide especially with this kind of thing happening. Maybe he just felt that he was out of control or the situation or both.

[sinkspur]

This takes faith indeed, considering klintonesque, left of center political climate in Houston.

Are you nuts?

Houston voted for Bush, for Dole, for Bush SR., twice.

But, you can wallow in your conspiracies to your heart's content.

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

"Of course, cars only lock from the inside. None of us have yet figured out how to lock our cars once outside of them. "

On a Mercedes-Benz door locking mechanism, you cannot simply push the button down and close the door. It won't work. The door lock motor keeps the button from being depressed manually. They are designed this way. The only way to lock it from the outside is with a key in the lock or a remote transmitter that came with the vehicle. IF the authorities should find one or the other missing, then we may have a second party involved and the hunt is on. If all keys and transmitters are accounted for, we have a suicide.
Simlpe deductive reasoning, Watson.

[Freeper 007]

ME's are keenly aware that a ruling of suicide will disqualify families from collecting life insurance. In Baxter's case, there's no doubt some of these lawsuits will leverage whatever money he left.


Ignoring the dispute over how he died, I just wanted to clarify this one point. As far as I know, the beneficiaries still collect on your life insurance as long as you started your coverage 2 years prior to your death.

Just throw the terms "suicide life insurance" into google.com and you'll see what I'm talking about.

[maestro]

Your#30)........(ENRON.....)...'Autopsies are _expensive_. Not everyone gets one.

Was he poisoned..........then,........shot?

[Freeper 007]

See post #95 RE: life insurance and suicide

[CWRWinger]

"Houston voted for Bush..."

Thank you for confriming my statement in Post #87.

They local government is almost all of the mule party mentality.

It takes a lot of tinfoil to believe left-of-center equates to honest, benevolent execution of government at any level.

[sinkspur]

Ignoring the dispute over how he died, I just wanted to clarify this one point. As far as I know, the beneficiaries still collect on your life insurance as long as you started your coverage 2 years prior to your death.

Uh, did you read more than one link?

The one you reference is some kind of "high risk" policy that has sky-high premiums.

I linked to five others, all of which said that benefits would be EXCLUDED from cases involving suicide.

[Freeper 007]

When professional car thieves steal luxury cars, they can sometimes get access to the frequencies used by the manufacturer. I'm not saying the guy was murdered, but to say it was impossible just because all the keys are accounted for is being overly simplistic.