Hunter S. Thompson suicide ruling stands firm after 20-year review by Colorado investigators

The Colorado Bureau of Investigation has reaffirmed that the 2005 death of legendary "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" writer Hunter S. Thompson more than 20 years after it was ruled a suicide.

The review was initiated in July 2025 after the late Gonzo journalist’s widow, Anita Thompson, raised new concerns with Sheriff Michael Buglione about the original investigation into her husband’s death at Owl Farm, the couple’s Woody Creek home. Thompson, 67, died on Feb. 20, 2005, from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.