New probe launched into the death of author Hunter S. Thompson

The death of journalist and author Hunter S. Thompson is now under investigation by Colorado authorities more than 20 years after it was ruled a [self-murder]. Thompson, 67, died at his ranch in Woody Creek, Colorado, a tiny community just north of Aspen, on February 20, 2005, of ‘an alleged self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head,’ the Colorado Bureau of Investigation said.

The investigation was started because Anita Thompson (pictured right), his widow, requested it from the Pitkin County Sheriff’s Office. It’s unclear what made her want to reopen the case, but Sheriff Michael Buglione has committed to ‘answering any lingering questions surrounding the case’. ‘We understand the profound impact Hunter S. Thompson had on this community and beyond,’ said Sheriff Buglione. ‘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.’

Buglione added during a news conference that there is no new evidence that suggests Thompson died as a result of foul play. Authorities said there is no deadline for the probe to be complete. 

Thompson is best known for his 1971 book, ‘Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas: A Savage Journey to the Heart of the American Dream,’ which was later adapted into two films starring A-list actors. The book was a mix of fact and fiction, and was based on him covering events in Las Vegas as a journalist. It became the basis for a Gonzo journalism, a new style of reporting that placed the journalist at the center of the narrative.

The book portrays the 1960s counterculture movement as a failure through a highly- dramatized story tinged with illicit drug use and hallucinations. Thompson inspired the term ‘gonzo journalism’ with his character Doctor Gonzo in ‘Fear and Loathing’. In the first loose adaptation of the book, 1980’s ‘Where the Buffalo Roam’, Thompson was played by Bill Murray. This film covers more of his life than just the events of the book.

In 1998, Johnny Depp starred as Thompson in a movie with the same name as the book and though it was a financial flop at the time, it has since achieved cult status. Over the years, Thompson’s sustained cocaine and alcohol abuse led to him producing less work and even getting into legal trouble.

Thompson’s [self-murder] note to his wife was titled ‘Football Season Is Over’, an allusion to how much of an avid NFL fan he was. The Rolling Stone, the outlet where Thompson worked for decades, published that note in September 2005, seven months after his death.

‘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’s ashes were shot out of a cannon on his property during a private funeral on August 20, 2005. Depp and Murray were at the unique service. Depp funded much of the celebration, which costed roughly $3 million, according to Anita Thompson.