ROGERS, Ark. — A report from the Benton County Sheriff's Office (BCSO) has revealed new information on the death of a Missouri ER doctor found in Beaver Lake in 2023.
Dr. John Forsyth, 49, of Cassville, Missouri, was reported missing in May 2023 after not showing up to work. Family members said he never missed a day of work and even stayed in an RV at the hospital when he was on call. On the morning of his disappearance, his brother Richard Forsyth said John texted his fiancée, saying he'd see her soon.
The mystery grew after he was seen alive on security footage of a public pool parking lot. He left his car unlocked with his wallet inside, got into a separate vehicle, and drove away.
After a week-long search, a kayaker on Beaver Lake found Forsyth's body 20 miles from his last known location on May 30. Dr. Forsyth had a gunshot wound to his head, which officials later determined to be self-inflicted.
According to BCSO, when Forsyth's body was found, his mouth was taped with duct tape and he was wearing a white coat with his name embroidered on it. Underneath it, officials found $10,000 in a Ziploc bag with a message written on one of the bills saying, "For my beloved Laura Barnette." On another bill, a message read "they refused my offer," with a sad face drawn on it, according to BCSO. A third bill had another message saying, "Tell (redacted) I will always love her."
Secret Life
Investigators stated in the report that Forsyth "lived a secret life unknown to most of his friends and family." Officials said he had "signs of being a sex addict and a so-called 'womanizer.'"
Officials also said depression was part of his "secret life," saying he had only shared with "a select few people that he was suicidal."
The report reveals that text messages were found on his phone of him asking a nurse to kill him. There were also mentions of him saying he would "hire someone to kill him." Investigators concluded in the report that Forsyth "exhibited many signs consistent with a pending suicide."
The investigation
The investigation was led by Detective Ralph Bartley with BCSO and the autopsy was performed by Dr. Theodore Brown, Chief Medical Examiner with the Arkansas State Crime Lab. The report detailed how investigators determined Forsyth's death as a suicide.
Officials said the location of the gunshot wound on the top of the head "can easily be done by oneself."
Additionally, the duct tape wrapped around Forsyth's face was divided into two pieces instead of one. Officials said the tape did not go over his ears or nose, and during the autopsy, there were no signs of trauma to his face, mouth, gum, or teeth. According to officials, this was an indication that the tape was placed "voluntarily." Dr. Theodore Brown said that if the tape had been placed on him forcefully, there would have been scratch marks on his face from his attempts to remove the tape or trauma to his gums.
The money found on Forsyth's body ruled out the possibility of a motive for robbery, according to the investigation. The notes left behind also discarded the idea that Forsyth disappeared by force. Detective Bartley concluded that Forsyth attempted to stage his death to appear as a homicide.
Days before his death
The report states that nearly every nurse who worked with Forsyth said he was "happier and more talkative than normal" during his last two shifts.
Richard told investigators that Forsyth was being "rather tender with a number of people" before his death. This included giving out expensive gifts and saying loving words to people close to him. Three days before his disappearance, he also proposed to his pregnant girlfriend. Four days before disappearing, he had a long dinner with his brother Richard, where he told him he loved him and "couldn't imagine having a better brother," the report said.
Richard said his brother talked about being in danger and would speak in the context of what would happen if he wasn't around. John Forsyth also reportedly told his mother "he didn't believe he would live very long," but he never elaborated on what he meant. He also talked to his accountant the same month of his disappearance to give his family "full access," according to the report.
Cryptocurrency business
Forsyth owned a cryptocurrency business with his brother Richard. The company started in 2019 and Richard said they had issues with money being stolen from them and hackers trying to shut down their platform. The brothers had lost between $8,000 to $10,000. A report was filed with the police and then forwarded to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), which stated that Richard and John took responsibility and repaid the money to those who had lost money on their platform.
Despite these issues, Richard said, "no one was gravely upset with them about the incident," and "no threats were made towards him or Dr. Forsyth over the incident."
If you’re struggling with thoughts of suicide, help is available. Speak with someone today by calling or texting 988.
Our previous reporting of the death of Forsyth can be found here.
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