On June 13, 2013, J.D. Roth, a 56-year-old white male and the former police chief of Caseyville, Illinois, was found deceased at his home in Fairview Heights, Illinois. The St. Clair County Coroner's office confirmed that Roth died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Prior to his death, Roth had been placed on administrative leave in March 2013 following allegations of felony misconduct. In May 2013, he was formally charged with two counts of official misconduct, accused of misusing a pickup truck seized during a drug case and utilizing village funds to purchase personal luggage. Each charge carried potential penalties of up to five years in prison and a $25,000 fine.
According to those close to him, Roth had been experiencing significant distress in the months leading up to his death. He reportedly expressed concerns about an ongoing federal investigation, although no official sources implicated him as a suspect. His sister, Merrilee Roth, noted that the situation had "broke his heart," and his girlfriend, Analiza Cecil, mentioned that he had been very depressed and had made several concerning statements.
On the morning of his death, Roth sent a text message to Cecil at 1:14 a.m., stating, "Babe, I can’t live with myself anymore, see me in every full moon." Concerned by the message and his uncharacteristic silence, Cecil went to his home, where she discovered his body in the backyard.
Investigators found that Roth had made arrangements for his affairs prior to his death. They discovered paperwork indicating he had paid for his funeral on June 11, 2013, and located a folder containing his bank account information, retirement funds, and burial instructions. A notarized will dated May 30, 2013, left his estate to his two sisters. Additionally, officers cataloged a collection of 63 firearms in his home, all of which were found to be legally owned. ,
No suspects or arrests were associated with Roth's death, as it was determined to be a suicide. His passing elicited an outpouring of condolences from the community, with many remembering him as a dedicated public servant and expressing shock at the circumstances surrounding his death.
