(Breaking news) Police say no foul play in Tippett's 2006 death
Friday, March 6, 2009
By Jesse Yeatman
Staff Writer
E-Mail This Article | Print This Story
See related stories
Cause of Tippett's death remains under investigation
Body of missing man identified
Search continues for Tippett
Posted at 4:20 p.m. Friday
Police this week ruled out foul play in the death of Mark Alan Tippett.
Tippett disappeared from his home in Cedar Cove in September 2006 and at one point it was investigated by police as a homicide. The case remained open and after an extensive search of the area around his home in Cedar Cove, his remains were discovered on Feb. 10 and sent to the state medical examiner's office.
Toxicology could not be performed on Tippett's remains; however, extensive forensic examination by the state medical examiner's office failed to reveal any signs of trauma, according to police. The official cause of death is listed as undetermined.
"The totality of the circumstances points to a suicide or an accidental death," a police statement says.
Statements made by Tippett's wife, Lisa Marie Tippett, and suspicious circumstances surrounding his disappearance led police to reclassify the investigation as a homicide a year ago, according to statement from the St. Mary's County Bureau of Criminal Investigations. However, Lisa Tippett's statements were not true, based on the condition and location of the remains, and homicide was ruled out, according to the statement.
The investigation by St. Mary's County Bureau of Criminal Investigations Cold Case Unit has officially been closed.
I thought he was last seen carrying a weapon? So he committed suicide, but they found no trauma to the body? They did an extensive search for 3 years, but found no body, and then wa la, a body is found? Statements made by the wife led them to classify the investigation as a homicide, but now they have a body they say it's not a homicide? This story
all around.