The Massachusetts dad who was found dead Monday during a family vacation to Hilton Head Island died by suicide, officials said.
Stanley Kotowski, 60, hung himself “underneath” a home near the rental he vanished from on Aug. 16 during a mental health crisis, Beaufort County Coroner David Ott said at a press conference on Tuesday.
”We estimate the day of death is the day he went missing,” Ott said.
Police officials did not reveal specifics about Kotowski’s death, but said the father used an “apparatus” to cut off the flow of oxygen.
Ott refused to go into further detail, saying: “It’s definitely asphyxiation, but there’s no other word other than hanging. Unfortunately, people believe that hanging means you rope up to a ceiling and you drop. It’s definitely not like that.”
Kotowski had been experiencing paranoia in the days before his disappearance and even sought out medical attention prior to and during the family vacation, police revealed.
Officials also revealed why it took an extensive manhunt of canines, drones and door-to-door canvassing over 11 days to find the missing man.
Kotowski apparently discovered a small hatch near the outdoor shower of a neighboring villa that served as an entry point to a crawl space.
Search and rescue crews attempted to enter the crawl space during prior canvasses, but were unable to make it through, Beaufort County Sheriff P.J. Tanner said.
“Once I had an opportunity to review where the body was recovered, I completely understand why he was not found [sooner], until there was some evidence that led us in that direction,” Tanner said.
Kotowski’s body was found Monday near the Sea Pines rental where he had been vacationing with his family.
“Over the last month, he has been struggling with severe insomnia and has become increasingly anxious,” his wife Jackie wrote on Facebook.
“Stan became paranoid, thinking that people, including authorities, were pursuing him.”
During the family trip, Kotowski was anxious about the ocean due to “exposure to the sun, jellyfish and sharks,” she noted.
Ring camera footage from Aug. 16 shows Kotowski walking out the front door of the rental, barefoot, and onto the street.
He appeared to be confused in the video — at one point he stopped and looked around in the middle of the street before continuing.
If you are struggling with suicidal thoughts, you can dial the 24/7 National Suicide Prevention hotline at 988 or go to SuicidePreventionLifeline.org.
