PORT ANGELES — Police have identified the man who died Saturday afternoon by a self-inflicted gunshot wound as Robert Meyers Lovell, 36, of Port Angeles.
His body was discovered in an alley in the 1700 block of East Second Street by a neighbor of Lovell’s who was driving down the alley at 5:30 p.m. Saturday, according to a police report.
A Springfield .45 caliber handgun with a spent round was lying at Lovell’s feet.
Lovell’s wife said he was a stay-at-home dad who was involved with his sons and helped them with their online schooling, according to the report. She said Lovell, a motorcyclist, told her Saturday he was going for a ride and texted her at 5:05 p.m., saying he loved her very much.
Lovell had recently said he was suicidal and “never spoke about issues he had,” she told police.
“She believed he didn’t want to burden her,” police said.
The couple had scheduled counseling for him, according to the report.
Lovell left on a letter on a counter in their home, police said.
His death by suicide was the 17th in 2020 in Clallam County compared with 19 in 2019 and the fifth in Port Angeles, according to the Clallam County Prosecuting Attorney-Coroner’s Office.
There has been one suicide each in Sequim and Forks, and 10 in the unincorporated county. Twelve were male and five female.
Seven were between 20-39 years old and six between 60-79.
Jefferson County had 12 suicides in 2020 as of Wednesday compared with 14 in 2019, according to the Prosecuting Attorney-Coroner’s Office.
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is accessible 24 hours a day in English and Spanish at 800-273-8255.
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Senior Staff Writer Paul Gottlieb can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 55650, or at pgottlieb@peninsuladailynews.com.
