Death After 32 Hammer Blows Not Suicide, Coroner Insists

A coroner said Thursday it was “ludicrous” for police to classify the death of a man who suffered 32 hammer blows to the head as a suicide, and he said he would ask other authorities to pursue the case.

Lake County Coroner Daniel Thomas said he believes the April 6 death of James Cooley, 52, was a homicide. Hobart Police Chief Lawrence Juzwicki said Wednesday that, after a thorough investigation, his department concluded Cooley committed suicide and considered the case closed.

But Thomas said Juzwicki’s stance is “ludicrous. People are laughing at the police. They are so far off base, it has become a national laughing matter.

“It is still a homicide, regardless of what the Hobart police department has to say,” Thomas said. “They may classify it within their records that they had a death scene and they feel it’s a suicide, but it’s the coroner’s duty according to the state of Indiana statute that I give the cause and manner of death.”

Thomas said he intends to pursue the case and called Indiana State Police to arrange an appointment with Supt. John Shettle. Thomas also said he has contacted Lake County Prosecutor Jack Crawford for assistance.

Cooley’s body was found in the basement of his home April 6 by his wife, Diane.

Hobart Detective Daniel Topper, chief investigator on the case, said Wednesday that Cooley was “despondent” because he was suffering from cancer. Although doctors pronounced the disease in remission, Cooley’s wife described her husband as “moping around” the day of the death, Topper said.