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Of course the cops don't want to look at the obvious explanation that it was a suicide staged to look like a murder.

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Death of Phoenix officer remains mystery

Whether it was suicide or homicide is not known

by William Hermann - Mar. 13, 2011 12:00 AM

The Arizona Republic

As homicide investigators try to solve a mystery central to the death five months ago of Phoenix police Sgt. Sean Drenth, an attorney for Drenth's widow seeks answers, too.

On the night of Oct. 18, Drenth was found shot to death beside his patrol car near the state Capitol. He reportedly had died from a blast from his shotgun, which was found resting upon his chest with the muzzle pointing up toward his chin. [Duh! Sure sounds like a suicide to me!]

It looked like a suicide. But there were disturbing signs pointing to homicide.

Drenth's service pistol reportedly was found almost 40 feet from his body and on the other side of a fence. And some of Drenth's other equipment was scattered about.

"There were signs of a possible struggle," said Sgt. Trent Crump, Phoenix police spokesman. "Or, it could be interpreted that there was, perhaps, a staged struggle." [Let's stick our heads up our butts and try to ignore the fact that it is an obvious suicide! We don't want to prevent the cops wife from collecting her pension. Or make the Phoenix PD look bad because of a suicide of a cop who was soon to be charged with a few felonies]

More than two dozen people - officers and paramedics - were at the scene near 18th Avenue and Jackson Street immediately after the shooting. Homicide detectives who analyzed footprints, fingerprints and DNA evidence found at the site could account for every person at the scene - all but one, that is. [Gee sounds a lot like that mysterious killer who killed Nicole Simpson. OJ didn't do it so it. At least that is what OJ says]

And that's a major reason the investigation has gone on for five months.

"There is evidence that there was someone else at the scene that we have not been able to explain," Crump said. "Much of the work that investigators have been doing has had to do with trying to resolve that." [Uh! From what has been stated so far it sounds like a suicide, not a murder by some mythical third party]

Crump said homicide investigators are working on three possible scenarios: "That we have a homicide; a suicide that was staged to look like a homicide; or we have a homicide we are unable to explain from the evidence at the scene."

While homicide investigators work to solve the case, Phoenix attorney Joel Robbins looks over their shoulders. He was retained by Drenth's widow, Colleen Drenth. [The only goal of attorney Joel Robbins is to get a pension for the cops widow]

"There are benefits due to a widow of a police officer slain in the course of duty, and if in fact Sean was murdered, we want to see that she receives those benefits," Robbins said. "There is federal aid for the spouse of slain officers, and she hasn't received it. And she collects full retirement benefits if he's slain in the course of duty. We want to get to the bottom of it to make sure she gets what she's owed." [Sounds like the piggies want to commit a little fraud so the piggies wife gets a pension she doesn't deserve. I guess crime does pay. Or crime pays if you are a cop]

Crump said that the police department has every consideration for Colleen Drenth but that "the investigation must run its course." He said there is "an enormous amount" of evidence to be dealt with. [It also sounds like the cops are highly biased in favor of Colleen Drenth and will do everything they can to get her a pension she doesn't deserve]

"Just consider the evidence from the outside of Sgt. Drenth's patrol car," Crump said. "There were about 75 pieces of biological evidence - fingerprints and other things - taken from that car, and all of it had to be explained. The fingerprints might have been one of the officers at the scene, a mechanic, another officer who used the car, a suspect who'd been in the car . . . or that other person at the scene. All of it has to be matched and explained." [Gee it sure is tough turning a suicide into a murder!]

Complicating the case is the fact that Drenth and more than 24 other officers for more than a year had been under an investigation into reputed theft at a south Phoenix housing complex. They were accused of pocketing thousands of dollars for off-duty security services that they claimed to have done but that authorities allege they didn't provide. [Duh! It sure sounds like a suicide! He killed himself to because he didn't want to go to jail for cheating the city of Phoenix out of overtime pay]

Drenth was found to have pocketed more than $1,000 after investigators determined he would "start some of his shifts late and left early" on others, records show.

Drenth died before indictments came down in the case. Three of Drenth's fellow officers and a former officer were indicted. Police officials later confirmed that Drenth would have been indicted had he lived. They said Drenth could have faced felony charges.

The investigations of wrongdoing and Drenth's impending indictment give ammunition to those who believe Drenth killed himself in the face of the shame of prosecution. But it also leads some to suggest that someone had a motive to fear possible testimony from Drenth and might wish to silence him. [Now we are talking, but why are they using the ambiguous word "someone"? If it was a murder he was killed by a fellow cop who wanted to shut him up]

The "mystery" person at the crime scene, the mountain of physical evidence and the labyrinthine complications of the case are what have made it drag out so long, Crump said. He said homicide detectives expect to be done "in a few months."

If the case is ruled a homicide, Colleen Drenth will receive full benefits.

If it is ruled a suicide, she won't.

Robbins and his client will wait for the report from investigators, but the lawyer meanwhile is busy.

"We're investigating independently and trying to follow up leads we have to help get to the bottom of it," Robbins said. "We're also waiting for P.D. to finish the investigation.

"But if this occurred because of something internal within P.D., we're not sure they are willing to call a spade a spade. If there was a murder by a fellow police officer, we're not sure we'll learn that.

"At this point, I can't tell my client we'll win or lose, but we will find out what happened."