In the late afternoon of Sunday, February 20, 2005, the world lost a singular voice in American literature. Hunter Stockton Thompson, a 67-year-old male, died in his home, a fortified compound known as Owl Farm, in Woody Creek, Colorado. His death was the result of a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. At the time of the incident, his son Juan, daughter-in-law Jennifer, and his young grandson were in another room of the house.
The moments leading up to his death were quiet and
seemingly routine. Thompson had been on the phone with his wife, Anita, who was at a health club. He asked her to come home so they could work on his weekly column for ESPN. During their conversation, he set the receiver down. His wife heard a clicking sound, which she initially thought was the keys of his typewriter. That sound, however, was likely the cocking of the. 45-caliber handgun he used to end his life. His son Juan discovered his father's body in the kitchen.
An investigation by the Pitkin County Sheriff's Office concluded that there were no signs of foul play, and the death was officially ruled a suicide. No suspects were ever identified, and no arrests were made in connection with his death. Thompson had been suffering from a series of health problems, including a broken leg, a hip replacement, and chronic pain, which had left him despondent. Friends and family noted that he had been talking about suicide in the months leading up to his death.
Four days before his death, Thompson had written a note to his wife titled 'Football Season Is Over.' In it, he wrote, 'No More Games. No More Bombs. No More Walking. No More Fun. No More Swimming. 67. That is 17 years past 50. 17 more than I needed or wanted. Boring. I am always bitchy. No Fun — for anybody. 67. You are getting Greedy. Act your old age. Relax — This won't hurt.' His wife later expressed that he wanted to leave while still at the peak of his life, viewing it not as a tragedy but as a final triumph in a life lived entirely on his own terms.
