I have read the OAG information release. I have listened to numerous podcasts including the 3 recent KXDJ broadcasts. I am aware that the 31st District Attorney stated that 11 investigators beleive that the matter is suicide with family involvement somehow. I am also aware of allegations by some with issues surrounding the phone, the phone charge case & "charge event", and the alleged request for the passcode. I get it. Obviously, the phone is a central issue to this case. Yet, I have not heard a single reference by investigators (or radio guests) regarding the very peculiar battery defects and resulting erratic and unexplained phone (electronics) behavior that were common with some early Apple 6s phones and how those defects could/would have affected the operation of Tom’s Apple 6s phone. The issue was more than a battery not holding its charge; with some phones there were occasional incidents involving erratic phone behavior, possibly due to voltage fluctuations. Hence, Apple issued a worldwide recall to correct those issues. But no mention of the Apple 6s recall issue in the OAG report.
I find it very curious that evidence involving the spent shell casing and pistol case appear to be passed off as simply irrelevant by some. I am equally curious as to why some appear to pass off other evidentiary behavior as simple mistakes …. such as the loss of Dollar General and Fronk Oil videos. CCTV video from multiple other locations around town were gathered, examined, and retained ….. but the CCTV evidence from the TWO MOST IMPORTANT locations as related to the case, Dollar General and Fronk, somehow became lost. Lost? Some say “innocently mishandled”. Really? Not a coincidence.
Then there is the curious nature of the investigation focus that the family was secretly communicating with Tom while he was hiding in Denver, or wherever. There was no credible evidence of such or that Tom was alive and hiding. Not just HCSO but also Texas Ranger(s). Ghost Busters. “11” investigators from multiple agencies on the wrong trail for 2+ years. Then once the remains were found their narrative suddenly turned to suicide involving family cover-up ….. with no possibility of homicide.
My point is that the case is still open. Ther are many remaining questions. ALL evidence and circumstances must be considered. I suspect that if OAG was positively certain that Tom committed suicide and there was 0% chance of homicide, they would make that declaration and close the case. But they haven’t so far.
IMO, our justice system is the best and most fair in the world. But it is not perfect and never will be “perfect”. When I hear that the 31st District Attorney pointed out that “11” investigators from multiple agencies have concluded that Tom died of suicide and that his family is covering, I look back and see many things that appear to be yet unanswered or brushed aside as investigative incompetence; mistakes. I am also reminded that in the two separate cases of Michael Morton and Greg Kelley, there were also likely “11” investigators from multiple agencies that concluded the guilt of both men. Their assumed guilt resulted in the innocent men spending years in prison before eventually being exonerated by evidence that was, early in the case, absolutely ignored by investigators and by prosecutors. 20+ years later it was actually a competent OAG prosecutor who discovered and brought forth the hidden evidence that exonerated Michael Morton. It was a Texas Ranger who investigated and brought forth evidence that helped exonerate Greg Kelley.
Maybe investigators think they now have all of the answers to the Tom Brown case; I don’t know. Maybe they do; or maybe they don’t. They certainly have more information than is known by the general public. But the case remains open and will possibly remain open into the foreseeable future for multiple reasons, IMO.