Laptop, Letter Found In DiPaola's Hotel Room
BOSTON (CBS) -- Police in Wells, Maine say they found Middlesex County Sheriff James DiPaola's personal laptop in the hotel room where he committed suicide Friday night.
Sergeant Kent Berdeen said investigators are also reviewing hotel surveillance video showing DiPaola walking into his hotel room. Sgt. Berdeen said no one else was seen entering or leaving DiPaola's room.
Police say DiPaolo shot himself sometime between 5:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Friday.
Detectives suspect one reason for the early evening is because all the rooms adjacent to DiPaola's were empty during the time. Sgt. Berdeen said a "multi-page" handwritten note was found addressed to DiPaola's family.
DiPaola made recent headlines for an attempt at collecting pension and a salary at the same time. After the scandal became public DiPaola resigned.
The Sheriff's office was also facing an ethics investigation.
WBZ-TV's Alana Gomez reports.
While family members grieved privately at DiPaola's Malden home Sunday, friends publicly acknowledged his commitment to his community.
"Numbing, it's just numbing," said State Rep. Bill Greene of Billerica. "He was always so upbeat this is so out of his character."
Greene choked up while talking about his longtime friend, pointing out his many contributions to Billerica including a youth leadership camp, a new playground dedicated this summer, and a correctional training facility.
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WBZ News Radio's Doug Cope Talks With Greene.
Town Manager of Billerica John Curran worked for DiPaola as a grant writer from 1999 to 2001. "What people remember about him is all the things he did and all the people he helped on the way," said Curran.
"I was just blown away," Somerville Mayor Joseph Curtatone said about hearing the news.
"Whether it was simple things like needing his honor guard or him present to support some event he was always there or working with our youth," said Curtatone. "His professional service was unlimited and his personal side as well he solicited on his own behalf for us did anything he could to help us."
John Granara will temporarily take over the reigns at the Middlesex County Sheriff's office.
