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Did Hunter S. Thompson Really Kill Himself?

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Did Hunter S. Thompson Really Kill Himself?

Almost from the moment Hunter was laid to rest, his widow and his son began to feud, over everything from the future of Owl Farm to Juan’s belief that his father had been mistreated by Anita in his last days.

The estrangement deepened with time, and now, Anita’s suspicions have taken the feud to a more pointed place, revealing a long, bitter fight over the legacy of the man who pioneered the personal, participatory style of reporting known as gonzo journalism.

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But they were all together the weekend Hunter died.

Juan wrote in his memoir that he was in another room and heard a thump that sounded like a book hitting the floor. Anita was at a health club in Aspen waiting for a yoga class to start. She later told the news media she was on speakerphone with her husband before he shot himself, and heard the “clicking” of the gun.

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Looking back, there were signs from that last weekend that Hunter had planned to take his own life, Juan and Jennifer said in interviews.

He insisted on watching one of his favorite movies, “The Maltese Falcon,” with his 6-year-old grandson, Will. He gave away gifts — an old clock that had belonged to his mother and a signed copy of “Fire in the Nuts,” a short book with his frequent collaborator, the artist Ralph Steadman.

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Ralph Steadman spoke about Hunter’s suicidal ideations in an interview after his death in 2005. ITN, via Getty Images By Itn

“So there is nothing new to know about Hunter’s actual death,” said Juan, 61. “So I do not know why she raised this. And I can’t imagine that the C.B.I. would find anything to act on.”

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He and Jennifer said they did not have any role in Hunter’s death. “This is really shocking,” Jennifer said. “It’s been disruptive to our family. It’s obviously been very traumatic to be revisiting this.” She said she believed Anita knew that her husband took his own life, and added, “we hope this brings her closure.”

Jennifer Winkel

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Anita had been an assistant to Hunter, and was 35 years younger than him. At the time of his death, they had been married for less than two years — it was Hunter’s second marriage — and that last weekend they fought constantly. In his memoir, Juan wrote that Hunter shot a pellet gun at a gong in the living room the night before he killed himself, just missing Anita, prompting her to threaten to call the police and have him put in a nursing home.

Hunter was also in poor health. He had difficulty moving and suffered occasional seizures, the result of decades of heavy drinking.

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“Hunter’s body was giving out,” said Debra Fuller, who worked as an assistant to Hunter and helped manage Owl Farm for almost 20 years before Hunter married Anita. “He was having more difficulty writing as well.”

Hunter had often talked of suicide. Like many of Hunter’s friends, Joe DiSalvo, who was undersheriff of Pitkin County at the time of his death, had conversations with him about how his life would end. He recalled that Hunter would demonstrate his intentions by pointing a loaded gun at his head.

“Hunter talked about suicide,” Mr. DiSalvo said. “He talked about the way he was going to kill himself.”

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Video: Their Mother Was Detained. Now a Minneapolis Family Lives in Fear.

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Video: Their Mother Was Detained. Now a Minneapolis Family Lives in Fear.

new video loaded: Their Mother Was Detained. Now a Minneapolis Family Lives in Fear.

After a Minneapolis woman was arrested by ICE agents, the children she left behind face an uncertain future. In the days following their mother’s detainment, the oldest daughter spoke to The New York Times.

By Ang Li, Bethlehem Feleke, Ben Garvin and Caroline Kim

January 28, 2026

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The FBI conducts a search at the Fulton County election office in Georgia

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The FBI conducts a search at the Fulton County election office in Georgia

An election worker walks near voting machines at the Fulton County Election Hub and Operation Center on Nov. 5, 2024.

John Bazemore/AP


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John Bazemore/AP

The FBI says it’s executing a “court authorized law enforcement action” at a location in Georgia that is home to the Fulton County election office.

When asked about the search, the FBI would not clarify whether the action is tied to the 2020 election, but last month the Department of Justice announced it’s suing Fulton County for records related to the 2020 election.

In its complaint, the DOJ cited efforts by the Georgia State Election Board to obtain 2020 election materials from the county.

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On Oct. 30, 2025, the complaint says, the U.S. attorney general sent a letter to the Fulton County Board of Registration and Elections “demanding ‘all records in your possession responsive to the recent subpoena issued to your office by the State Election Board.’ “

A Fulton County judge has denied a request by the county to block that subpoena.

Since the 2020 election, Fulton County has been at the center of baseless claims of election fraud by President Trump and others.

In November the sweeping election interference case against Trump and allies was dismissed by a Fulton County judge.

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Rep. Ilhan Omar rushed by man on stage and sprayed with liquid at town hall event

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Rep. Ilhan Omar rushed by man on stage and sprayed with liquid at town hall event

A man is tackled after spraying an unknown substance at US Representative Ilhan Omar (D-MN) (L) during a town hall she was hosting in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on January 27, 2026. (Photo by Octavio JONES / AFP via Getty Images)

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Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., was rushed by a man during a town hall event Tuesday night and sprayed with a liquid via a syringe.

Footage from the event shows a man approaching Omar at her lectern as she is delivering remarks and spraying an unknown substance in her direction, before swiftly being tackled by security. Omar called on Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to resign or face impeachment immediately before the assault.

Noem has faced criticism from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle in the aftermath of the fatal shooting of 37-year-old intensive care nurse Alex Pretti by federal officers in Minneapolis Saturday.

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Omar’s staff can be heard urging her to step away and get “checked out,” with others nearby saying the substance smelled bad.

“We will continue,” Omar responded. “These f******* a**holes are not going to get away with it.”

A statement from Omar’s office released after the event said the individual who approached and sprayed the congresswoman is now in custody.

“The Congresswoman is okay,” the statement read. “She continued with her town hall because she doesn’t let bullies win.”

A syringe lays on the ground after a man, left, approached Representative Ilhan Omar, a Democrat from Minnesota, during a town hall event in Minneapolis, Minnesota, US, on Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2026. The man was apprehended after spraying unknown substance according the to Associated Press. Photographer: Angelina Katsanis/Bloomberg via Getty Images

A syringe lays on the ground after a man, left, approached Representative Ilhan Omar, a Democrat from Minnesota, during a town hall event in Minneapolis, Minnesota, US, on Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2026. The man was apprehended after spraying an unknown substance according to the Associated Press. Photographer: Angelina Katsanis/Bloomberg via Getty Images

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Omar followed up with a statement on social media saying she will not be intimidated.

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As Omar continued her remarks at the town hall, she said: “We are Minnesota strong and we will stay resilient in the face of whatever they might throw at us.”

Just three days ago, fellow Democrat Rep. Maxwell Frost of Florida said he was assaulted at the Sundance Festival by a man “who told me that Trump was going to deport me before he punched me in the face.”

Threats against Congressional lawmakers have been rising. Last year, there was an increase in security funding in the wake of growing concerns about political violence in the country.

According to the U.S. Capitol Police, the number of threat assessment cases has increased for the third year in a row. In 2025, the USCP investigated 14,938 “concerning statements, behaviors, and communications” directed towards congressional lawmakers, their families and staff. That figure represents a nearly 58% increase from 2024.

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