The investigation into Sister Wives star Robert Garrison Brown’s death is still pending despite a report from The U.S. Sun claiming it was closed, a PIO for the Flagstaff Police Department exclusively tells In Touch.
The department’s case management system shows the investigation into the TLC star’s March death assigned to its case detective, the public information officer confirms to In Touch on Thursday, April 4. This is likely due to waiting on the medical examiner’s report.
The exclusive update comes hours after the U.S. Sun’s report ran, claiming that the investigation into Garrison’s death was closed and ruled a suicide a month after his tragic death.
Garrison was found dead on March 5 in his Flagstaff, Arizona, home by his younger brother Gabriel Brown, who was sent by their mother, Janelle Brown, to check on him. The 25-year-old was pronounced dead at the scene from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
The night before, Janelle, 54, worried about Garrison after learning of some text messages her son sent in a group chat to people the family worked with. “I want to hate you for sharing the good times. But I can’t. I miss these days,” Garrison wrote, according to the police report obtained by In Touch.
The mom of six told police she had a brief conversation with her son before he “just stopped texting.” The lack of response worried Janelle, who then sent Gabe, 22.
Janelle told authorities she “should have gotten” Garrison help, but the report did not specify what kind of assistance he might have needed. His roommates and brother claimed he had been battling issues with alcohol and had been “depressed.”
Gabe “indicated that Garrison had been struggling with mental health concerns,” but believed his older brother had been doing better after acquiring a new job at the Flagstaff Medical Center, according to the report.
Garrison’s roommates in Flagstaff, Arizona, also told police that they heard a “pop” come from Garrison’s room on the evening of Monday, March 4, but did not check on the reality star since they did not believe the noise was a gunshot.
Addison, one of Garrison’s roommates, said he had “conversations with Garrison about him being depressed lately” and stated he was “an alcoholic and drinks every night.” He mentioned that the TLC personality had been having problems with his ex-girlfriend but had never heard him say anything that would raise a red flag about him possibly committing suicide.
Garrison was laid to rest on March 9, with his half-sister Mykelti Brown revealing it was the first time she’d seen her family together in years. Tributes for Garrison have poured in from his large family, with many pledging to make mental health a priority.
“It wasn’t a lack of love that Garrison had. It was mental health and I am going to continue talking about mental health and self-care until I am blue in the face because I don’t think it’s talked about enough,” his older sister Maddie Brown wrote in a detailed post on March 18. “It’s a highlight reel and that was something that me and Garrison talked a lot about. I know my other siblings and my mom expressed this, that Garrison used to feel like he wasn’t doing enough because he was comparing himself to things on social media.”
If you or someone you know is in emotional distress or considering suicide, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
Reporting by Nate Grant.
