We now know more about the death of a Missouri emergency room doctor who was found in Beaver Lake in 2023 thanks to a report from the Benton County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO).
In May 2023, Dr. John Forsyth, 49, of Cassville, Missouri, was reported missing after not coming to work. His family said he never missed work and that when he was on call, he stayed in an RV at the hospital. While he was still alive, his brother Richard Forsyth said that John emailed his fiancée to say that he would see her soon.
He was seen alive on security video from a public pool parking lot, which added to the mystery. He got into a different car, left his wallet in the car that wasn’t locked, and drove off.
A kayaker on Beaver Lake, 20 miles from where Forsyth was last seen on May 30, found his body after a week-long search. Doctor Forsyth had a gunshot wound to the head, which police later found to be self-inflicted.
BCSO says that Forsyth’s mouth was taped shut with duct tape and he was wearing a white coat with his name sewn on it when his body was found. Officials found $10,000 in a Ziploc bag under it.
One of the bills had a note written on it that said, “For my beloved Laura Barnette.” ABC News says that on another bill, there was a message that said “they refused my offer” and a sad face. Another message on a third bill read, “Tell (redacted) I will always love her.”
Secret Life
From the study, we know that Forsyth “lived a secret life unknown to most of his friends and family.” In their words, he showed “signs of being a sex addict and a so-called ‘womanizer.'”
As part of his “secret life,” he was depressed, and he had only told “a select few people that he was suicidal.”
The report says that his phone had text messages on them in which he asked a nurse to kill him. He was also said to have said he would “hire someone to kill him.” In the report, investigators said that Forsyth “exhibited many signs consistent with a pending suicide.”
The investigation
Officer Ralph Bartley of the BCSO led the investigation, and Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Theodore Brown of the Arkansas State Crime Lab did the exam. The report explained how the police came to the conclusion that Forsyth killed himself.
They said that finding the spot where the bullet hit on top of the head “can easily be done by oneself.”
The duct tape surrounding Forsyth’s face was also split in two. Officials stated the tape did not cover his ears or nose, and the autopsy found no facial, oral, gum, or tooth injuries. Officials said this meant the tape was placed “voluntarily.” Dr. Theodore Brown remarked that if the tape was forced on him, he would have scratched his face trying to remove it or damaged his gums.
Investigation found money on Forsyth’s body, ruling out robbery motive. The notes also disproved the forceful disappearance of Forsyth. Detective Bartley decided Forsyth staged his death to look like a homicide.
Days before his death
The report says practically every nurse who worked with Forsyth reported he was “happier and more talkative than normal” his last two shifts.
Richard told police Forsyth was “rather tender with a number of people” before his death. This includes offering pricey gifts and kind words to loved ones. He proposed to his pregnant girlfriend three days before disappearing. Four days before leaving, he had a long supper with his brother Richard and told him he loved him and “couldn’t imagine having a better brother,” the report claimed.
Richard said his brother spoke of danger and what would happen without him. John Forsyth told his mother “he didn’t believe he would live very long,” but he didn’t explain. The investigation states that he gave his family “full access,” talking to his accountant the month of his disappearance.
Cryptocurrency business
Forsyth and brother Richard ran a bitcoin business. Richard stated the company launched in 2019 and had money stolen and hackers trying to shut down their platform. The brothers lost $8,000–$10,000. In a police report sent to the FBI, Richard and John admitted fault and refunded platform users.
Even yet, Richard added, “no one was gravely upset with them about the incident,” and “no threats were made towards him or Dr. Forsyth over the incident.”