Colorado authorities are reviewing the death of author Hunter S. Thompson, two decades after the initial investigation determined he died by suicide.
The journalist died in February 2005 at the age of 67 at his home in Woody Creek, Colorado.
Twenty years later, the Colorado Bureau of Investigation announced it is conducting a case review into Thompson’s death at the request of his widow, Anita Thompson.
The bureau will conduct “an independent perspective” on the 2005 investigation, originally completed by the Pitkin County Sheriff’s Office.
There’s no new evidence to suggest foul play, but the sheriff’s office remains committed to answering lingering questions about the high-profile case, Pitkin County Sheriff Michael Buglione said.
“We understand the profound impact Hunter S. Thompson had on this community and beyond,” the sheriff said in a statement. “By bringing in an outside agency for a fresh look, we hope to provide a definitive and transparent review that may offer peace of mind to his family and the public.”
Anita began talking to Buglione in April about a potential review of the investigation into her husband’s death, the Colorado Sun reported. Her request was sparked by “things she has been hearing from friends and possible relatives,” the sheriff told the outlet.
Buglione said he’s “confident” that the “original investigation was exactly what happened.”
In February 2005, Coroner Steven Ayers said Thompson died by a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Anita was not at home when he died, but the author’s son and grandson were, The Aspen Times reported at the time.
“I’m not ordering a toxicology report in this case because it was incidental to the cause of death. It doesn’t matter if there were drugs in his system; it had nothing to do with the manner of his death,” Ayers said.
Anita told the Associated Press that her husband had been contemplating suicide in the months leading up to his death.
“He feels at the peak of his life right now, has a very successful career, has a network of perfect friends,″ she told the outlet in February 2005. “If he quit now, he would feel he was a champion."
Douglas Brinkley, a fellow author and friend of Thompson, published what he labeled a “goodbye note” from the late journalist in Rolling Stone in September 2025. The note was titled: “Football Season Is Over.”
“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,” the note read.
Thompson is credited with establishing “gonzo” journalism, which makes the author an essential component of the story, and is known for writing several books, including Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas and Hell’s Angels.
If you are based in the USA, and you or someone you know needs mental health assistance right now, call or text 988 or visit 988lifeline.org to access online chat from the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. This is a free, confidential crisis hotline that is available to everyone 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If you are in another country, you can go to www.befrienders.org to find a helpline near you. In the UK, people having mental health crises can contact the Samaritans at 116 123 or jo@samaritans.org
