Investigators: Three Suicide Notes Found In Duckett Case
Posted: 4:36 pm EDT September 25, 2006Updated: 4:55 pm EDT September 26, 2006
LEESBURG, Fla. -- Channel 9 has confirmed that Trenton Duckett's mother left a total of three suicide notes. The two most recent letters, to her parents and grandparents, were released Tuesday.
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Initially, it was believed there were four letters, but police confirmed Tuesday that there were three. The notes, all of which have now been released, were addressed to the public, Melinda's parents and her grandparents. Investigators believe Monday night (9/25) was the one month anniversary of whatever happened to Trenton Duckett.Police said the three suicide notes did not provided clues to Trenton Duckett's whereabouts or to his mother's involvement. All three were handwritten and found in Melinda Duckett's car after she shot herself. Police were still retracing her steps.One letter, addressed to "Mom and Dad," asks them not to try and understand her every extent. The letter to "Nanny and Poppy" reads, "The main reason I'm doing this is because even after my baby is found I would not be a good mother. With two full time jobs and full time school, I tried my hardest but always slacked in some area."In the same letter, Melinda Duckett goes on to write, "It's a release from stress and I'll be happier in the end. Besides, soon enough we'll be together again. Again, I love you."Melinda also left behind an undisclosed amount of cash beneath her car's ashtray.Police insisted the case was not cold, even though manpower had been scaled back by half. August 26 continues to be the biggest mystery. Eyewitenss News has learned that, despite hits on five cell phone towers Sunday afternoon, Saturday night there were none, which was extremely uncharacteristic of Melinda."That was one of the big odd things for me was that amount of time without a phone call. It just don't add up to me," said Josh Duckett, Trenton's father.Police said it could mean her phone was turned off, which friends said she never did. It rang at least three times in just two minutes during a brief interview with Channel 9 before her suicide.The other possibility would be that she was somewhere without cell service, which is why tips leading to the Ocala National Forest were getting so much attention. The Marion County Sheriff's Office has followed up on 42 leads, including four possible grave site locations, in the Ocala National Forest.According to deputies, one of the burial sites was found and dug up showing that an animal had been buried there. At another location in the forest, deep in the woods off of FR 588, were some toys that were collected, but ruled out by the Leesburg Police Department. The other leads in the case revealed nothing that would help bring the case to any conclusion.Leesburg police said that once they're done with the latest batch of leads they would reassess their strategy with the case.
Initially, it was believed there were four letters, but police confirmed Tuesday that there were three. The notes, all of which have now been released, were addressed to the public, Melinda's parents and her grandparents. Investigators believe Monday night (9/25) was the one month anniversary of whatever happened to Trenton Duckett.Police said the three suicide notes did not provided clues to Trenton Duckett's whereabouts or to his mother's involvement. All three were handwritten and found in Melinda Duckett's car after she shot herself. Police were still retracing her steps.One letter, addressed to "Mom and Dad," asks them not to try and understand her every extent. The letter to "Nanny and Poppy" reads, "The main reason I'm doing this is because even after my baby is found I would not be a good mother. With two full time jobs and full time school, I tried my hardest but always slacked in some area."In the same letter, Melinda Duckett goes on to write, "It's a release from stress and I'll be happier in the end. Besides, soon enough we'll be together again. Again, I love you."Melinda also left behind an undisclosed amount of cash beneath her car's ashtray.Police insisted the case was not cold, even though manpower had been scaled back by half. August 26 continues to be the biggest mystery. Eyewitenss News has learned that, despite hits on five cell phone towers Sunday afternoon, Saturday night there were none, which was extremely uncharacteristic of Melinda."That was one of the big odd things for me was that amount of time without a phone call. It just don't add up to me," said Josh Duckett, Trenton's father.Police said it could mean her phone was turned off, which friends said she never did. It rang at least three times in just two minutes during a brief interview with Channel 9 before her suicide.The other possibility would be that she was somewhere without cell service, which is why tips leading to the Ocala National Forest were getting so much attention. The Marion County Sheriff's Office has followed up on 42 leads, including four possible grave site locations, in the Ocala National Forest.According to deputies, one of the burial sites was found and dug up showing that an animal had been buried there. At another location in the forest, deep in the woods off of FR 588, were some toys that were collected, but ruled out by the Leesburg Police Department. The other leads in the case revealed nothing that would help bring the case to any conclusion.Leesburg police said that once they're done with the latest batch of leads they would reassess their strategy with the case.
Previous Stories:
- September 25, 2006: Mother Of Missing Leesburg Toddler Left Suicide Note
- September 24, 2006: Investigators Share 911 Tape Of Melinda Duckett Suicide
- September 21, 2006: Mistaken Identity Sends Authorities Rushing To Airport
- September 20, 2006: Missing Boy's Toys Found In Mother's Apartment Complex
- September 19, 2006: Search For Missing Boy Continues With Few Clues
- September 19, 2006: Police Struggle With Gaps In Timeline Of Missing Boy
- September 18, 2006: Search For Missing Toddler In Forest Comes Up Empty
- September 15, 2006: Stuffed Animal Likely Not Related To Missing Toddler Case
- September 14, 2006: CNN Host Under Fire For Melinda Duckett Interview
- September 12, 2006: Police Following New Leads, Focus More On Mother
- September 12, 2006: Leesburg Police Abandon Search Site For Missing Child
- September 12, 2006: Police Think Mother May Been Involved In Disappearance
- September 1, 2006: Tip Leads To Lady Lake Field In Search For Missing Toddler
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