Found Deceased GA - Timothy Cunningham, 35, Chamblee, 12 Feb 2018 #2

[foxbluff]

Perhaps the family will distribute the $24,337 to the fisherman as it was for "a reward for information that will help locate Tim". I guess they could choose to refund the donors. They may get advice on how to proceed with this.

BBM - Thanks, SeesSeas, for providing the exact wording of the reward offering.

Imo these two fisherman, who were alert and willing to get involved, certainly have earned the promised reward.

 

[JazzTune]

That article also states the ME found no bruises or other wounds:

"And Cunningham’s body showed no signs of any trauma, like bruises or other wounds, according to the Medical Examiner."

Thanks. You're right. Got to give you this one. It states it word for word. I have to admit I am very surprised though. I won't go into any of the decomposition facts since they're so graphic.

I can say though that from my research, one of the earliest stages of decomposition is blistering of the skin. So it really confounds me how a severely decomposed body could show the presence or absence of bruising.

Not that I'm questioning the Medical Examiner. Obviously, there's a big gap in my knowledge base about this.

Thanks for pointing this out. ( Even when I'm wrong I appreciate being informed in order to correct myself going forward. ) It still makes no sense to me.

However, I want to offer my sincere apologies to you and anyone else who I may have misled about this. Thanks again...


JMO

 

[LAhiker]

Thanks. You're right. Got to give you this one. It states it word for word. I have to admit I am very surprised though. I won't go into any of the decomposition facts since they're so graphic.

I can say though that from my research, one of the earliest stages of decomposition is blistering of the skin. So it really confounds me how a severely decomposed body could show the presence or absence of bruising.

Maybe they meant there was no sign of serious bruising, which would involve damage to the underlying tissue? As a hiker who's had many bruises, they aren't just on the surface, but typically involve deeper damage and inflammation.

Caveat: I don't know how dying affects the inflammation response, and even if he were still alive, presumably being in a cold river would decrease inflammation. But I think bruising involves other tissue damage such as broken blood vessels and damaged cells.

 

[foxbluff]

I don't recall ever reading what became of Bo. Was that ever mentioned? Tia.

 

[JazzTune]

Maybe they meant there was no sign of serious bruising, which would involve damage to the underlying tissue? As a hiker who's had many bruises, they aren't just on the surface, but typically involve deeper damage and inflammation.

Caveat: I don't know how dying affects the inflammation response, and even if he were still alive, presumably being in a cold river would decrease inflammation. But I think bruising involves other tissue damage such as broken blood vessels and damaged cells.

Yes, that's a really good point too. Deeper evidence of bruising as opposed to the skin itself, which is what I was thinking. So you're probably correct.

Still though I suppose I'm mainly confused about the meaning of severe decomposition. From what I've read, ( none of it is conversation for here ) even the muscles too can be difficult to isolate.

After all, he was identified through dental records. So, my problem is really more my confusion about the whole process. Yet, to be honest, it's not a process that I care to delve into a whole lot further.

All I can say is major props to all Medical Examiners. What a very, very hard job they have.

Thank you again for your post. I really appreciate you taking your time to share your thoughts and experience...


JMO

 

[U2forever]

RIP, Timothy.

Such a sad case.
Timothy was a handsome bloke gone too soon.

 

[heartgoesout]

Not sure if this has been covered, but it seems that the key to this case rests with the key to Timothy Cunningham's house. He left his house keys, the house was locked, but did he have a spare key to jog with? Have police reported on whether his door was locked in a way that did not require a key to lock it, or was it locked with a key? Also, the latest press conference did not mention a key found with the body. It could have fallen out of his pocket - I am not a jogger, but I would assume a jogger would not just place a spare key in a pocket because it could fall out when running - rather they would affix it to their body in some way. However, that doesn't mean that a spare key secured in some manner would not have gotten lost in the water.

I guess what I am trying to say in my rambling post is, did Tim C. purposely lock himself out? Left the house key, took no spare key and locked the door b/c it was lockable without having to use a key. If so, he didn't plan on coming back and it unfortunately points to suicide. But not sure if police have shared info regarding how the house was locked and whether it could be locked without a key.

For those asking if Tim could swim - this article states he could although it does not reveal a source. https://www.myajc.com/news/crime--l...researcher-cunningham/gTFA2IArsYhDCrSYsglVwM/

When I take a jog, my keys are in my house. I enter through my garage door using a code. I'll have my phone with me but that's about it.

 

[dspdenver]

However, I want to offer my sincere apologies to you and anyone else who I may have misled about this. Thanks again...

None needed here. I don't know much about this, either. I was surprised in the Denver case (Adam Gilbertson) that after a month in the water they were able to identify him through fingerprints, though many of his internal organs were not identifiable due to decomposition.

 

[missingno]

I don't recall ever reading what became of Bo. Was that ever mentioned? Tia.

Back before Tim was found, I had been looking through related Facebook profiles and I found a recent picture of Bo with a family member's dog, and a comment that suggested Bo was with them Bo looked great, which gave me some peace.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

 

[Elainera]

Regarding the absence of bruises and wounds etc, I think when there's a wound or a bruise the resulting leakage of blood and fluids into the surrounding tissue would look different from unbroken skin, even when decomp has progressed for some time. Decomp in water is slower than in air, and in cold water even slower. So even though 7 or 8 weeks had passed his body was probably still intact.

 

[Elainera]

Back before Tim was found, I had been looking through related Facebook profiles and I found a recent picture of Bo with a family member's dog, and a comment that suggested Bo was with them Bo looked great, which gave me some peace.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

I'm glad to hear this! Thank you for sharing.

 

[SeesSeas]

https://www.myajc.com/news/crime--l...researcher-cunningham/gTFA2IArsYhDCrSYsglVwM/

Posted: 3:12 p.m. Friday, April 06, 2018

TIM CUNNINGHAM’S DEATH

WHAT WE KNOW
1. Fishermen spotted a body Tuesday night in the Chattahoochee River. It was in a remote area, not easily accessible, according to firefighters. The body was face up in the muddy water.
2. Medical examiners used dental records to identify the body as Cunningham. An autopsy found no signs of trauma or evidence of an underlying medical condition, and drowning is believed to be the cause of death.
3. Cunningham, who was found about 4 miles from his home, was wearing his favorite running shoes. But he did not have his house keys, cell phone or other personal items. Cunningham knew how to swim, police said.

WHAT WE DON’T KNOW
1. Did Cunningham leave his home and intend not to return?
2. How did he end up in the river, and where did he access it?
3. Was the drowning an accident or intentional?

 

[SolR1]

It never ceases to amaze me (and not in a good way) how people in so many cases where a person dies from an accident, suicide, or even natural causes seem to want the person to have been murdered. I definitely want all unattended and/or suspicious deaths properly investigated by LE because they need to do their jobs, but I would never hope that someone would have been murdered. It's just disturbing. I would hate to think that someone took my loved one's life. I would much rather hear accident, suicide, or natural causes than murder. At least the death wouldn't have been caused by someone else hurting my family member.

Valid. And on the other hand, I think a lot of us feel this way about suicide. And it's not always denial around mental illness. I suffer, and I'm an advocate. And that may also be why I'm cautious to assign suicide when things don't add up. It's not a matter of conspiracy, it's just that if we're being responsible with what little facts we know, we can't gloss over things to allow other things to be true.

And I realize that suicide leaves a lot of unanswered questions for loved ones, but in this case particularly, I've been amazed by things that seem definitely true vs. things that are allowed to be ambiguous.

 

[SolR1]

...and maybe I should clarify.

Current COD is drowning. Your guess is as good as mine on how that happened. And someone's even questioning how that COD was derived at with a severely decomposed body. Meanwhile, LE is saying we may NEVER know how his body ended up in the water and the case is close to being closed.

 

[ThinkThinkThink]

SolR1,

I usually move on at the end of a case, but something pulled at me to come back here to read more comments. I have a family friend who suffers from mental illness, and your comment really struck me. It never occurred to me how he may view a case like this, in terms of unanswered questions and not wanting to assume suicide. So you've made me more sensitive to that perspective. I do understand what you are saying/where you are coming from... so I just want to thank you for that.

 

[JazzTune]

...and maybe I should clarify.

Current COD is drowning. Your guess is as good as mine on how that happened. And someone's even questioning how that COD was derived at with a severely decomposed body. Meanwhile, LE is saying we may NEVER know how his body ended up in the water and the case is close to being closed.

LE stated at their presser that they had spoken to everyone who had interacted with Timothy in those final days.

Timothy's parents had already stated that they had shared with LE the contents of every disturbing text and communication they had with Timothy.

It is my opinion that after LE analyzed all the data, they came to the conclusion that this was a probable suicide.

I don't believe they are taking any of this lightly, or being cavalier in any way. If no one witnessed Timothy actually entering the river, even if LE has a high degree of suspicion it was intentional, (jumped from a bridge?) they cannot state it as an absolute, definite fact.

However, since LE is closing the investigation soon ( unless new information arises ) that tells me they have no reason to suspect it was a homicide.

If they had reasonable doubts that someone had killed Timothy, the case would remain open indefinitely while they continued an active investigation.

LE know the facts. We don't. I wouldn't expect them to ever share any of it with the public either.

For LE the book will soon be closed. For his family, never.

I pray they find some measure of peace...


JMO

 

[daisydaisy]

One constant in this case is that his family has maintained a certain level of privacy, even while speaking to national news media. I think it’s possible their initial close-hold got away from them a little bit in that regard, but we all know they were never comfortable giving us all the information they had. And that’s okay.

Maybe Tim’s “disturbing” comments indicated he was going to run off and do something crazy or harm someone else, and that’s why they pleaded for help. But then over time and after he was found, they may have come to terms with it and realized he really meant suicide and, true to their desire to protect his privacy, asked APD not to elaborate further.

JMO, but I’m going to follow their lead. I am still just so sad for them.

 

[SolR1]

It is my opinion that after LE analyzed all the data, they came to the conclusion that this was a probable suicide.



JMO

Then there should be no issue with them ruling it a probable suicide if they have cause to suspect so vs. simply closing the case with a statement that they may never know how he got in the water.

 

[JazzTune]

Then there should be no issue with them ruling it a probable suicide if they have cause to suspect so vs. simply closing the case with a statement that they may never know how he got in the water.

I hear what you're saying but I don't believe they will ever say that if no one witnessed him going into the river.

Just for the sake of 'suppose,' think about this. Say Timothy was actively suicidal. Even telling his family that he was going to kill himself. Maybe even mentioned jumping in the river.

Let's just say then that after he got up on the bridge, and climbed over the railing, he suddenly changed his mind. Decided that no, he wasn't going to jump after all.

Just suppose then that while trying to climb back to safety, he lost his balance and fell in. Died in an accidental fall.

The reason I say this is because it did happen to one of my patients. She went to a bridge, highly suicidal, with every intention of jumping. However, after she climbed over the railing she changed her mind, but fell while trying to climb back to safety.

Fortunately, she survived the fall, but with many injuries. After she recovered from the worst of them, she was transferred from the medical side to our psychiatric unit for treatment.

So it can happen. Maybe it even did with Timothy too.

Without a witness though, LE cannot say for certain how he got in the river, or even if it was suicide.

Also he could have been upset but decided instead to go for a jog to clear his mind. There was a report he was sighted jogging.

Maybe he was jogging to the bridge, but maybe he was just jogging to run alongside the river and fell in while stopping to look for stones. Several people here wondered if that could have happened. Purely accidental. Certainly plausible.

He could have even been abducted right in the middle of a run.

Again, if there are no witnesses, no one can say for sure what happened to Timothy.

LE is going to pool all their information and make their best decision based on what that information tells them.

That's the way I interpret this. I could be wrong, and others may see this differently. Everyone's opinion has value, regardless.

I doubt though if we will ever really know what happened...


JMO

 

[tnhybrid]

I feel like a lot depends on what kind of "crystals" these were. Were they geodes - which you find all over the South?

Since he was dressed in jogging clothes I can imagine a scenario where he's out for a jog, decides to go down by the river, winds up at the edge of the water looking for rocks, loses footing, falls in and is overcome by a combination of swift current and extremely cold water.

As I mentioned earlier, I'm a scuba divemaster and you read a lot about this kind of thing in professional journals. Water can kill you so many ways. I read one story about a guy who was walking up some steps, fell over forward while wearing heavy gear on his back, couldn't get up and drowned in a three inch deep puddle.

You take your life in your hands going around any body of water by yourself. JMO.

Hoping Tim's family is as well as could be expected.