FBI Will Not Investigate Detective’s Homicide
The FBI won’t be taking over an investigation into the homicide of a Baltimore city detective who was slain amid a corruption investigation.
Detective Sean Suiter was shot in the head with his own weapon on Nov. 15, a day before he was to testify before a federal grand jury investigating wrongdoing by fellow officers who have been indicted on a number of counts. The FBI maintains that Suiter’s death was in no way related to the investigation.
Kevin Davis, the Baltimore Police Commissioner, sent a letter to the FBI requesting they step in and continue the investigation that the Baltimore Police Department has been working on for months.
Stephen E. Richardson, FBI Assistant Director, replied with his own letter. It stated that because there is no evidence to suggest that Suiter’s death is related to their current corruption probe, it would be “prudent for your office to continue as the lead in this investigation, with our current commitment to assist and support you fully, including providing FBI analytical, forensic, and investigative support.”
Richardson wrote that the agency would “take appropriate action” if it uncovered any new information that changed its assessment.
Davis now says Baltimore has no reason to believe Suiter’s death last month was the result of a conspiracy by other officers to kill him before he could testify in the corruption case.
“If Detective Suiter’s pending testimony was somehow a factor in his death, I believe the FBI would have taken [the case] in a heartbeat, and I believe they would have taken it in grand style. I think they would have brought in every resource at their disposal to Baltimore to get to the bottom of it,” Davis said. “The fact that they didn’t tells me that they don’t believe it.”
Because there haven’t been any strong leads as to who killed Det. Suiter – an 18-year veteran of the Baltimore PD, Davis and Catherine Pugh, Baltimore Mayor, said they are now considering bringing outside experts in to provide an independent set of eyes and perhaps advise the Baltimore homicide detectives working the case.