Sicario
The Executor
Jake Gardner, the man accused of manslaughter in the death of 22-year-old James Scurlock, has died by suicide.
Multiple sources close to the investigation confirmed the news to KETV NewsWatch 7 on Sunday. Officials said Gardner's body was found in the morning in Portland, Oregon, and that he did not leave a note.
Police in Oregon released the following information: "At about 12:20 p.m., Hillsboro Police Department officers responded to the 300 block of Southeast Ninth Avenue after a body was found outside a medical clinic. They discovered 38-year-old Jacob Gardner of Omaha, Nebraska, dead."
Gardner's attorney, Stu Dornan, said Gardner was scheduled to return to Omaha Sunday evening.
"The family of Jake Gardner has asked Tom Monaghan and myself to share the news of his death today, at his own hand," he said.
Dornan said Gardner was a decorated veteran of multiple tours in Iraq, saying he suffered two traumatic brain injuries. Gardner said he felt like he was in a war zone the night of Scurlock's death, Dornan said.
"I want to make it very clear that this was a clear case of self-defense," Dornan said, describing Gardner as cooperative with police.
Dornan said that Gardner left Omaha following Scurlock's death amid death threats, and went to California.
"The grand jury indictment was a shock to him," he said. "He was really shook up."
He said Gardner was difficult to reach due to the fires in California, but that he did intend to return to Omaha. He was going to be accompanied back to Omaha by a fellow veteran, Dornan said.
Attorney Tom Monaghan said that social media convicted Gardner before the grand jury indicted him.
"There's no way to defend the lies on social media. When you respond, you only make it worse," he said. "We have to stop the lies."
He said Gardner was afraid of returning to Omaha and that he had hired a bodyguard.
"Jake was worried he was going to get shot on the way here, that some of those folks would gave him death threats...would carry through with them," Monaghan said.
Dornan said "who can blame" Gardner for not believing he would get a fair trial. He said he was frustrated that he did not have the opportunity to prove Gardner's innocence.
"I'm angry he didn't have the opportunity for a fair trial, for a fair hearing," Dornan said.
Gardner was indicted last week on the following counts: manslaughter, use of a deadly weapon to commit a felony, attempted first-degree assault and terroristic threats.
Shortly before the indictment was announced, Jake Gardner told KETV NewsWatch 7: "It’s stressful. I’m more anxious now than when I was flying to Iraq. I was in from the end of 2000 til the end of 2004. All trained up by 9/11. I was there in 2003 during the invasion and in Haiti in 2004 to break up the civil unrest.”
Gardner fatally shot Scurlock on May 30 outside Gardner's Hive Bar. The shooting took place amid protests in the Old Market.
"I hope he turns himself in and we can start this process of seeking justice but if not, I hope OPD or the sheriff's office treats him like everybody else. If they have to fly or drive to go get him, that's what they do," Scurlock family attorney, Justin Wayne, had said.
The Douglas County Attorney Don Kleine determined Gardner acted in self-defense and did not file charges in the case, but a grand jury determined that indictments were warranted.
Special Prosecutor Frederick Franklin had said he would be in touch with Gardner's attorney to determine if Gardner will turn himself in or if he wants to be the object of the execution of an arrest warrant.
"Two days ago, I was pretty upset they didn't arrest him yet but the more I keep thinking about it, I can't ask the family who has been through so much to have faith in the process and me, as their attorney and officer of the court, to not have the same faith," Wayne said.
LINK - Jake Gardner, man charged in Scurlock death, has died by suicide
Multiple sources close to the investigation confirmed the news to KETV NewsWatch 7 on Sunday. Officials said Gardner's body was found in the morning in Portland, Oregon, and that he did not leave a note.
Police in Oregon released the following information: "At about 12:20 p.m., Hillsboro Police Department officers responded to the 300 block of Southeast Ninth Avenue after a body was found outside a medical clinic. They discovered 38-year-old Jacob Gardner of Omaha, Nebraska, dead."
Gardner's attorney, Stu Dornan, said Gardner was scheduled to return to Omaha Sunday evening.
"The family of Jake Gardner has asked Tom Monaghan and myself to share the news of his death today, at his own hand," he said.
Dornan said Gardner was a decorated veteran of multiple tours in Iraq, saying he suffered two traumatic brain injuries. Gardner said he felt like he was in a war zone the night of Scurlock's death, Dornan said.
"I want to make it very clear that this was a clear case of self-defense," Dornan said, describing Gardner as cooperative with police.
Dornan said that Gardner left Omaha following Scurlock's death amid death threats, and went to California.
"The grand jury indictment was a shock to him," he said. "He was really shook up."
He said Gardner was difficult to reach due to the fires in California, but that he did intend to return to Omaha. He was going to be accompanied back to Omaha by a fellow veteran, Dornan said.
Attorney Tom Monaghan said that social media convicted Gardner before the grand jury indicted him.
"There's no way to defend the lies on social media. When you respond, you only make it worse," he said. "We have to stop the lies."
He said Gardner was afraid of returning to Omaha and that he had hired a bodyguard.
"Jake was worried he was going to get shot on the way here, that some of those folks would gave him death threats...would carry through with them," Monaghan said.
Dornan said "who can blame" Gardner for not believing he would get a fair trial. He said he was frustrated that he did not have the opportunity to prove Gardner's innocence.
"I'm angry he didn't have the opportunity for a fair trial, for a fair hearing," Dornan said.
Gardner was indicted last week on the following counts: manslaughter, use of a deadly weapon to commit a felony, attempted first-degree assault and terroristic threats.
Shortly before the indictment was announced, Jake Gardner told KETV NewsWatch 7: "It’s stressful. I’m more anxious now than when I was flying to Iraq. I was in from the end of 2000 til the end of 2004. All trained up by 9/11. I was there in 2003 during the invasion and in Haiti in 2004 to break up the civil unrest.”
Gardner fatally shot Scurlock on May 30 outside Gardner's Hive Bar. The shooting took place amid protests in the Old Market.
"I hope he turns himself in and we can start this process of seeking justice but if not, I hope OPD or the sheriff's office treats him like everybody else. If they have to fly or drive to go get him, that's what they do," Scurlock family attorney, Justin Wayne, had said.
The Douglas County Attorney Don Kleine determined Gardner acted in self-defense and did not file charges in the case, but a grand jury determined that indictments were warranted.
Special Prosecutor Frederick Franklin had said he would be in touch with Gardner's attorney to determine if Gardner will turn himself in or if he wants to be the object of the execution of an arrest warrant.
"Two days ago, I was pretty upset they didn't arrest him yet but the more I keep thinking about it, I can't ask the family who has been through so much to have faith in the process and me, as their attorney and officer of the court, to not have the same faith," Wayne said.
LINK - Jake Gardner, man charged in Scurlock death, has died by suicide
