The unfortunate passing of a highly respected emergency room doctor from Missouri, whose body was discovered in a lake in northwest Arkansas 11 months ago, has been determined to be a suicide, as announced by Arkansas authorities on Thursday. The case had sparked various speculations on social media regarding potential connections to his involvement in cryptocurrency.
Dr. John Forsyth, aged 49, was last sighted nearly a year ago close to the RV he had parked at the hospital in Cassville, Missouri, where he was employed. A father of eight and engaged to be married, he failed to show up for his scheduled shift at Mercy Hospital on May 21, 2023, leading to a search operation. Following an extensive search, his body was eventually discovered on May 30 by a kayaker in Beaver Lake, Arkansas, approximately 20 miles south of the hospital.
Investigators from the Benton County Sheriff's Office in Arkansas disclosed on Thursday that Forsyth's cause of death was a gunshot wound to the head. Subsequent to an autopsy conducted by the chief medical examiner at the Arkansas State Crime Lab, the death was officially ruled as a suicide.
Authorities Unable to Dispute Medical Examiner's Findings in Doctor's Death
Detectives have not been able to find any information or evidence that would lead them to dispute the medical examiner's findings, according to a statement released by the sheriff's office. The statement mentioned that if any objective and relevant physical evidence emerges, it will be investigated on a case-by-case basis.
As part of the investigation, sheriff's officials uncovered surveillance videos showing the deceased, identified as Forsyth, riding a bicycle to Beaver Lake. The bicycle was found near the location where Forsyth's body was discovered.
Mystery Surrounding Forsyth's Death Captures National Attention
The mysterious circumstances of Forsyth's death, coupled with limited public details, have attracted national interest. Forsyth, who was engaged following two divorces, was reportedly looking forward to his upcoming marriage and the arrival of a new child with his fiancee. He even had a plane ticket to visit one of his daughters.
Reports from online publications specializing in cryptocurrency highlighted Forsyth's death. His brother mentioned that Forsyth had made cryptic comments about feeling threatened before his passing.
Richard Forsyth informed OzarksFirst that while there was one individual they suspected of having a grudge against his brother, that person was abroad. He expressed confidence that this particular incident is not relevant to the ongoing investigation.
"He expressed some extreme emotions towards us that he would get revenge. And ultimately his campaign failed, and we didn't hear from him again," said Richard Forsyth. "I don't see that being enough motivation for someone to cross the Atlantic and cause trouble."
Richard Forsyth did not immediately return a telephone message seeking comment about the Benton County sheriff's announcement.
John and Richard Forsyth founded Onfo LLC, what they called a "network mining" venture, in 2018. At that time, Onfo's website said account holders could earn credits without putting up cash, by referring others to the company.
Richard Forsyth said after his brother's death that the two of them were looking to give large numbers of people, including poor people in developing nations, a chance to invest in decentralized, digital currency. He said the brothers believed crypto had become driven by greed, "about Lamborghinis" and "billionaires and tax evasion."
But the brothers' crypto business wasn't the only reason the case received attention as a Facebook discussion group grew to more than 1,000 members.
Only 10 days before John Forsyth's disappearance, a judge had finalized Forsyth's second divorce, requiring him to pay an additional $15,000 a month to his ex-wife and $3,999 a month to support four of their children. But the split was amicable, according to family members and the ex-wife's attorney.
A week after John Forsyth vanished, his sister, Tiffany Andelin, wrote on Facebook that he had "disappeared, seemingly into thin air."
"I am in a state of mourning, filled with fear, as the world around me spirals into utter chaos," she expressed.
The local sheriff's office reported that the physician was last spotted heading towards his RV parked at Mercy Hospital in Cassville, which is located 40 miles west of the popular Ozark Mountains attraction, Branson, Missouri.
If you or someone you know is struggling emotionally or facing thoughts of suicide, please contact the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 988. You can also chat with the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline here.
For a comprehensive list of mental health resources and support, The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) HelpLine is available Monday through Friday, from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. ET, at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264) or via email at [email protected].
