A former New York police forensic analyst told the St Vincent Times on Wednesday that based on a photograph of the scene where Kenrick Scott’s body was found, several red flags appear which are worth investigating.
St Vincent Police on Wednesday in an update said a postmortem examination conducted on Monday, July 27, 2026, established that Officer Scott died as a result of a single gunshot wound to the head (suicide).
However, the analyst who spoke under condition of anonymity told the publication that if an investigator were to lean toward a conclusion of suicide, they would likely point to the following:
Proximity of the Weapon:The firearm is located immediately next to the individual’s right hand, which is often a primary indicator in self-inflicted shooting cases.
Solitude of the Location:The incident occurred in a secluded, wooded area, which is a common environment chosen for suicides to avoid interruption.
Single Wound:There appears to be a single localized wound area on the head, which is consistent with some self-inflicted patterns.
The analyst said that investigators should not rule out a homicide as there are several indicators from the photo.
“There are several details in the photo that forensic experts would scrutinize as potential “red flags” for homicide or a staged scene”:
Weapon Orientation:The handgun is positioned at an angle that may not naturally follow a self-inflicted shot where the weapon drops from the hand.
Lack of Blood on Hands:In a close-range or contact self-inflicted wound, “backspatter” (blood and tissue) is typically found on the hand that fired the weapon. From the photograph, the right hand appears relatively clean.
Body Posture:The way the body is slumped against the tree and the placement of the left hand on the chest may appear “ordered” rather than a natural fall following a traumatic injury.
Personal Items:A mobile phone is tucked under the individual’s thigh. Major red flag as it appears neatly tucked away and should have been further from body if indeed it was suicide, due to rapid fall form the hand after wound is inflicted.
“In my assessment of the only photo which was shown to me by your publication, I would conclude that while the presence of the weapon near the hand might initially suggest suicide, the specific orientation of the gun and the lack of visible biological material on the hands are details that often lead investigators to treat such a scene as a suspicious death or a potential homicide until proven otherwise”.
Constable #1116 Kenrick Scott, died at approximately 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, July 22, 2026, according to a St Vincent Police report.
