Pensioner Dies by Suicide After Believing He Was Scammed, Inquest Reveals

A 73-year-old retired civil servant, Neal Whitehead, tragically took his own life after believing he had been the victim of a scam, an inquest has revealed. Neal, who lived with his wife Carolyn in Yatton, was found deceased in their garden shed on the morning of Saturday, May 17.

On the day of his death, Neal had eaten breakfast with Carolyn as usual. After she stepped away briefly to tend to the garden, Carolyn discovered his body. The court heard that Neal’s behavior had been noticeably different in the days leading up to the incident.

Coroner Dr. Simon Fox noted, “Neal had been asking his wife to leave him alone for several days, which was out of character for the couple who usually spent their days together.”

Emergency services were called immediately, and paramedics attempted to resuscitate Neal, but he was pronounced dead around 11:40 a.m.

During the inquest at Avon Coroner’s Court, Carolyn shared that Neal had been distressed by the belief he had been scammed earlier that month. She said, “On May 4, he expressed concerns that he had been scammed and was visibly upset.”

While Neal later seemed to accept that legal advice had been sought regarding the matter, the worry appeared to persist.

Neal, born in Wigan in 1952, had a history of depression dating back to the 1990s, according to GP Dr. Marsh, but was reported to be in good physical health at the time of his death. Toxicology reports confirmed there were no illegal substances or alcohol in his system.

After reviewing the evidence, the coroner ruled the cause of death as suicide.

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