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Shooting of Long Beach Detective Is Ruled Suicide

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The death of a Long Beach police detective found with a single gunshot wound in her Rancho Santa Margarita home early Friday was ruled a suicide by the Orange County coroner’s office Saturday.

Suphada “Sue” Nelson, 32, died of a lacerated heart and aorta caused by the gunshot, coroner’s official Bruce Lyle said. Although further details were not disclosed, the autopsy results indicated that her death was a suicide “based on a preponderance of evidence,” Lyle said.

Nelson’s husband, Kevin, also a detective in the department, returned to the couple’s home about 10:30 a.m. Friday after his wife’s supervisor alerted him that she had not reported for roll call, the Orange County Sheriff’s Department reported Friday.

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Suicide was suspected from the beginning of the investigation because of circumstances, including the location and position of the gun, a sheriff’s investigator said.

Sue Nelson was an auto theft investigator who had joined the department in 1990. She first worked as a patrol officer, then moved up to detective assignments. Her husband works on the gang detail.

The couple have a 6-year-old daughter who was not home at the time of the shooting, police said.

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Details on funeral arrangements have not been released.

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