Cattaraugus County sheriff commits suicide

anyones neighbor · August 19th, 2009, 07:32 AM

I wasn't sure where to put this so feel free to move it. I thought it was important.

Cattaraugus County sheriff commits suicide
By Donna Snyder
Cattaraugus Correspondent
Updated: August 18, 2009, 11:24 PM

Cattaraugus County Sheriff Dennis B. John, the state's first and only Native American sheriff, sent a text message to Undersheriff Timothy S. Whitcomb minutes before taking his own life Tuesday morning on a Town of Coldspring logging road, The Buffalo News has learned.

John, 51, was found dead at about 9:30 a.m. outside of a vehicle on Sunfish Run Road in Coldspring, the victim of an apparently self-inflicted gunshot wound, according to state police, the lead investigating agency for the incident.

"The investigation is continuing, but we do not believe that there is any foul play involved," said Trooper Rebecca Gibbons, the State Police public information officer.

Whitcomb told The News he received a text message on his cell phone from John at about 9 a.m. Tuesday giving his location.

The text message gave specific directions on where to find him, including mentioning a green flag that he had placed at the side of the road along with the mile marker there. He also asked the undersheriff to "take care of my wife."

Whitcomb said John spent Monday night at home with his wife and then drove to Coldspring in the morning. "I talked to him last night and he seemed fine," Whitcomb said late Tuesday.

He was found outside his county vehicle, a Chevrolet Lumina.

Whitcomb, Investigator William Nichols and Capt. Robert Buchhardt rushed to the site mentioned in the message, where they found John's body. The area is not far from Camp Li-Lo-Li, a children's camp.

John was declared dead at the scene, the result of a gunshot wound to his chest, authorities said. The Erie County medical examiner's office is expected to perform an autopsy today.

Late Tuesday, The News learned that John was raised in the same home with Kimberly J. Speta, the mother of Colin Speta, the 26-year-old Falconer man who is presumed to have drowned after falling from a boat Sunday evening into Chautauqua Lake.

Whitcomb said John, who has remained close with the Speta family, rushed to Chautauqua County upon learning of the accident. "He showed up to offer his support to the parents for their missing son," Whitcomb said.

John is survived by his wife, Sharon, of Little Valley and two daughters, one son and grandchildren.

News of John's death shocked county residents and was a tough blow for members of the Native American and law enforcement communities.

"You don't see many Senecas succeeding as he did, getting elected to a countywide office outside the Seneca Nation," said Maxine Black, 69, a Salamanca resident and former Seneca Nation appeals court judge who knew John since he was a young boy.

John, according to the Cattaraugus County sheriff's Web site, became the first Native American sheriff in the state when he was appointed to the post by Gov. George E. Pataki in 2005. He then won election to the job later that year with 77 percent of the vote. John was expected to run unopposed for re-election this year.

A native of the Allegany Territory, John grew up there and graduated from Salamanca High School in 1976. He began his police career with the Seneca Nation Law Enforcement, before joining the Cattaraugus sheriff's office in 1981. John rose through the ranks, serving as chief of detectives, undersheriff and then sheriff.

Barry E. Snyder Sr., the Seneca Nation president, called John "one of our most trusted and respected leaders."

Meanwhile, fellow law enforcement officials regarded John as a reserved, unassuming professional and a fine man who presided over a tightly knit Sheriff's Office. They saw no signs of any despondency.

Nine days ago, John called his longtime friend, Erie County Sheriff Timothy B. Howard, to arrange to meet for breakfast the next morning, along with State Police Maj. Christopher Cummings, to discuss the flooding emergency that struck both counties.

During a visit to the flood-ravaged areas, Howard was struck by his friend's compassion for the people who had lost so much in the floods.

News Staff Reporters T.J. Pignataro, Gene Warner and Dan Herbeck contributed to this report.

e-mail: citydesk@buffnews.com
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