The Confirmed Final Chapter: Hunter S. Thompson's Death Declared Suicide After Official Review

For fans and followers of the inimitable Hunter S. Thompson, the news, while perhaps not entirely surprising, still carries a certain weight: a formal review has definitively confirmed that the legendary "gonzo" journalist's 2005 death was, indeed, a suicide. It's a stark, almost poetic, kind of finality for a man who famously lived life on his own terms, pushing every conceivable boundary.

The confirmation comes after a thorough review by the Pitkin County Sheriff's Department and Coroner Fred Jessup, solidifying what many close to Thompson had long understood. Back on that fateful day, February 20, 2005, Thompson, at 67 years old, ended his life with a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head at his beloved Owl Farm home in Woody Creek, Colorado. It was a quiet, private ending for a man whose public persona was anything but.

One can only imagine the private battles Thompson must have been facing in his final days. Reports from that period painted a picture of a man grappling with significant physical ailments – a broken leg, a hip replacement, ongoing back issues. The chronic pain, it seems, had become an unwelcome, constant companion, casting a long shadow over his once-indomitable spirit. He was, by many accounts, deeply despondent, openly expressing his desire to escape the torment.

His son, Juan Thompson, who was at Owl Farm on that tragic day (though not in the same room at the moment), later shared poignant insights into his father's state of mind. Juan recalled his father's long-held conviction that he wouldn't live past 60. And, in a chillingly honest reflection, Juan suggested that this particular, dramatic exit was precisely "how he wanted to go." It offers a glimpse into the complex mind of a man who always seemed to orchestrate his own narrative, right to the very end.

The confirmation, arriving all these years later, serves to officially close the book on any lingering questions surrounding the circumstances of Thompson's death. It reinforces the narrative of a unique individual who, even in his final act, maintained a semblance of control over his destiny, choosing to depart when the pain, both physical and existential, became too much to bear. It’s a somber reminder of the vulnerabilities that can touch even the most larger-than-life figures.