CORONER’S REPORT

This blog contains the coroner’s report from my brother’s suicide just as it was written, word for word with no additions, deletions or spelling/grammar corrections. The only difference is that I broke it into sections. This report can also be found in my book, Bonded a Brother’s Love.

Caution, this is very graphic and should not be read by the squeamish.

| HEADER

Name of Deceased:  Sanders, Richard Dale Address:  933 Marengo Pl. Santa Ana                          Age:  16     Sex:  Male                       Date: 8/18/68                                                                                                                              Cause of Death:  Brain Avulsion

Due To:  Through and through gunshot wound, skull. Classification of Death:  Suicide

| DISPATCH

On August 18, 1968, at 12:35 am the dispatcher from the Santa Ana Police Department telephoned the Coroner’s Office to report the above death by gunshot at the residence, 933 Marengo Place. The undersigned responded to the call and arrived at 12:55 am to begin the inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the death. The facts which have been found and are considered pertinent to the case are as follows.

| THE ARRIVAL AND ENTRY

Upon arrival the undersigned was directed to the center bedroom on the east side of the residence by Officer B.K. Pompeo of the uniform division, Santa Ana Police Department. It was observed that the decedent’s body lay supine on the bed with his feet touching the floor. It was noted that an Etts-Continsouza 8mm, bolt action rifle, serial #B65617, lay on the floor between the decedent’s feet with the barrel facing westbound. Also, a near full glass of beer was on the floor northwest of the decedent.

| THE SCENE AND BODY

There was macerated brain substance, blood and skull fragments on every wall, ceiling and floor of the bedroom. Also, a note indicating despondency was on the bed. This was also covered by macerated brain substance and blood. The decedent was clothed in a white T-shirt, brown pants and undershorts. There was no post mortem rigor mortis present. Post mortem lividity was beginning to form as positioned. There was no cyanotic appearance. The body temperature was warm to the touch. The entire rear of the decedent’s head was gone.

| THE OCCUPANTS

Officer Pompeo related that the police department received the call at 12:22 am and he arrived at the scene at 12:25 am and found the scene as it now was. He stated that the stepsister of the decedent, Marie Lynn McCormack, age 14, same address, Robert Dale Fitzerald, Dwight Wilford Dew, and David Joe Sanders, age 12, brother of the decedent, were all at the resident at the time of occurrence, with the father and stepmother of the decedent being gone. The undersigned interviewed Marie Lynn McCormack and she stated that about 12:15 AM the decedent came home with Fitzerald and they were both drunk.

| THE CALL, THE NOTE, AND THE SHOT

The decedent had additional beer with him, and he opened one. He then had a phone conversation with his girlfriend Lynn Charles. He hung up the phone and apparently went to his father’s bedroom and obtained his father’s rifle. He then went to his bedroom and called her into the bedroom. He then locked the door and set on the bed. She then saw the rifle for the first time. He then loaded the rifle with one round and told her to sit down on the bed while he wrote a note. He asked her how to spell some words. During this time, he held the rifle between his legs with the barrel on the left side of his head. The rifle was also being held by his left hand. She tried to talk him out of doing anything foolish and he told her to shut up or he would do it right now. He completed the note and made the statement, “The world hasn’t been good to me for sixteen years.” He then pulled the trigger.

| INITIAL EXAMINATION

During the initial examination of the decedent’s body, it was noted that there was a freshly healed sutured wound scar of 2 1/2 inches on the inside of the right wrist. The stepsister indicated that this was a self-inflicted suicide attempt approximately three months ago. This was verified by records of the Orange County Medical Center Mental Health Unit where the decedent was confined for examination on May 27, 1968, after slashing his right wrist with a razor blade. For further information see file #PF190481.

| FOLLOW UP

In a subsequent phone conversation with the father of the decedent, he stated that the decedent in the past has used marijuana and pills. The decedent was transferred to the Winbigler Mortuary at the request of the Coroner’s Office per rotation. The decedent was fingerprinted as required by law. Personal property of the decedent retained by the Coroner’s Office was the note and the rifle. The rifle was subsequently released to the father of the decedent on August 20, 1968.

| CONCLUSION AND FINDINGS

The Coroner’s Pathologist performed an autopsy upon decedent. The substance of his findings is set forth above. A sample of the decedent’s blood was submitted to the Coroner’s Toxicologist who, after examination found no acid, basic or neutral drugs. The blood alcohol level, however revealed a level of .111% indicating a significant level of alcohol. The coroner has issued a Death Certificate in this case based upon the findings of the Pathologist, Toxicologist and this investigation. The death has been classified as Suicide.

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MY COMMENTS

Picture this house that night prior to the suicide. Two young teenage boys out, openly drinking, bringing home the remains of their last six pack. The fourteen-year-old stepsister left alone there with her eighteen-year-old boyfriend and a twelve-year-old little brother that lived in constant chaos. The father and stepmother doing their normal thing of keeping bar stools warm until closing time. Alcohol, drugs and fights of one type or another were regularly on the home menu for the night. Attempted suicide had already taken place a few months earlier, with no subsequent changes made. The inevitable consequences were served up with zero effort to stop it.

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**Reach out to me at any time. 

I am not only willing, but I also look forward to taking a share of your pain. Email: David@bondedabrotherslove.com. You will get a caring same day response.

Nothing scripted.   

You are not alone, and you matter.

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If You’re Struggling

If you or someone you love or know is in a dark place, please know you’re not alone and there is help available. Reaching out is a sign of strength, not weakness. There are people ready to listen, ready to walk with you, and ready to help.

Immediate assistance is available:

National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline  

📞 988

Veterans Crisis Line  

📞 1-800-273-8255 (Press 1) | 📱 Text 838255

Survivor Support / Crisis Group  

🌐 https://www.crisishotline.org  📞 832-416-1177

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💡 If you know someone who needs to hear that they are not alone, share this story. Together, we can create echoes of hope that outlast the pain.

For more than five decades, I carried this story in silence. Silence nearly broke me, but telling it is what keeps hope alive.

Bonded: A Brother’s Love : One Bullet. A Thousand Echoes my hope is that it offers understanding, connection, and even a reason to hold on when life feels unbearable.

📖 Order your copy today and join me in breaking the silence. Together we can spread hope, honor the lost, and change the future.