| This list is on the actual police reports, medical reports, and the misleading information that was given to the media, some of which were projected world-wide. It covers some contradicting statements that involve the Seattle Police Department and media officials. This list also combines factual references from Tom Grant's Murder Investigation manual, NBC Tv's Unsolved Mysteries, the Ian Halperin and Max Wallace book "Who Killed Kurt Cobain?The Mysterious Death of an Icon" and Roger Lewis' essay "Dead Men Don't Pull Triggers" . For more information, there is Frances Barnett's website: "In Defence of Kurt Cobain". Some pictures and partial police reports provided here are courtesy of The Grant Company Copywrite 1997. For further information and to purchase Tom Grant's manual go to: The Cobain Murder Investigation Case Study Manual. |
| WHAT MOTIVE WOULD THE SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT HAVE FOR COVERING UP A SLOPPY INVESTIGATION? The short answer: proffessional pride, city politics and potential lawsuits. Tom Grant's Murder Investigation Manual |
| WHAT THE WORLD KNOWS At 11:05 am. on April 8th, 1994, three coroners arrived from the King County medical examiners office. Three homicide detectives led by Sgt. Donald Cameron had already arrived at the scene. Dr. Nikolas Hartshorne took polaroids of the scene and quickly concluded Cobain had died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. After he told detectives, the information was leaked to the media, and the world had learned that Kurt Cobain had "committed suicide." "Who Killed Kurt Cobain." |
| MEDIA MYTHS, BIASED POLICE REPORTS AND CONTRADICTING QUOTES |
| MEDIA MYTH 1: Cobain was barracaded inside the room |
| SEATTLE POLICE REPORTS -- Dated4/08/94 Incident report #94--156500 Det. Jim Yoshida and Det. Steve Kirkland Police narrative: "There are stairs on the west side leading to the french door entry and another set of french doors on the east side which lead to a balcony. These doors are unlocked and closed but there is a stool with a box of gardening supplies on it in front of the door." Later added in same report out of context : Off. V. Levandowski Police narraritive: "Off. Levandowski observed the french doors at the opposite end of the room were blocked by a stool; preventing access." |
| The stool which was supposedly "wedged" against the door was actually just sitting in front of two *unlocked doors that led out to the balcony. The entrance leading to the greenhouse doors were not blocked. Only a twist type lock were on these french doors, anyone could've locked themselves behind them leaving. |
| ABOUT THE REPORTED LOCKED DOORS AND THAT COBAIN WAS BARRACADED INSIDE? |
| Grant stated that Sgt. Cameron told him the french doors were locked from inside. Grant having pointed out that it was simple push-in and twist type lock and that anyone could've pulled that door shut after locking it, Sgt. Cameron states, "There was a stool wedged up against the door." |
| MEDIA MYTH 2 : Cobain left his drivers license out for identification. |
| As was reported just hours upon finding Cobains body, the media spread this false information that Kurt left his drivers license in plain sight for someone to find to identify him. |
| SEATTLE POLICE REPORTS -- Dated4/08/94 Incident report #94--156500 Statement from Off. Levandowski Police narrative: "SFD asked for ID from the nearby wallet, and I opened the wallet which was within a couple of feet of the victims body. Inside I found a Washington state drivers license in the name of Cobain, Kurt Donald DOB/022067." Later in same incident report: Det. Jim Yoshida and Det. Steve Kirkland Police narrative: "Cobain's wallet was open and his drivers license showing. Off Levandowski exposed the driver's license to verify indentification of the victim." |
| THE FACT IS: The first officer on the scene removed Kurt's license from inside his *closed wallet on the floor and displayed it for photograph purposes. |
| MEDIA MYTH 3: Cobain left a "suicide" note. |
| NOTE TO THE READER: in writing a report about the scene of any nature, police officers are instructed to describe what they see as factual without bias and final conclusions. |
| SEATTLE POLICE REPORTS -- Dated4/08/94 Incident report #94--156500 Statement from Off. V. Levandowski Police narrative: "On a nearby table was a paper placemat, with a hand-written note in red ink. The pen was stabbed into the note, holding it in place. The note was apparently written by Cobain to his wife and daughter, explaining why he had killed himself." |
| SEATTLE POLICE REPORTS -- Dated4/08/94 Incident report #94--156500 Det. Jim Yoshida and Det. Steve Kirkland Police narrative: "There is a sink on the west wall and there are stainless steel planting trays on the north and south walls. One of the stainless trays contains a pile of dirt with bulbs in it. On top of this dirt pile is a note written in red ink and stuck into the dirt pile with a red pen. This is a suicide note directed to Courtney and signed Kurt Cobain." |
| The police refered this note left at the scene as a "suicide" note and say it was written to Courtney and Frances "explaining why he killed himself." The note was not written to Courtney and Frances and Kurt says nothing in this note about killing himself. |
| CONTRADICTIONS ON HANDWRITING SAMPLES OF THE SUICIDE NOTE |
| Reginald Alton of Oxford University- "There are many indications that there could be second hand at work" "Who Killed Kurt Cobain?" Ian Halperin and Max Wallace on Rosemary Carroll, Kurt and Courtney's Entertainment Attorney- "On the tapes, Carroll talks about her belief that Kurt was murdered and tells Grant that she believes that the so-called suicide note was forged by tracing over a "pastiche" of other things Kurt had written in the past. She does not say who she thinks forged the note." "Who Killed Kurt Cobain?" Tom Grant-- "The police forensic laboratory was never asked to analyze whether there were two different sets of handwriting. They were just asked whether Kurt had written the note. Of course they refuse to say whether their lab found any inconsistancies at the end of the note." "Who Killed Kurt Cobain?" |
| SAMPLES OF CREATIVE WRITING |
| Tom Grant-- "The detectives needed a handwriting sample of Kurt's writing for comparison with the note found at the scene, so they excepted a sample of Kurt's handwriting from Courtney Love, via one of her attorneys. Courtney had all the motive in the world to have her husband murdered. How did they know this wasn't another forged letter?" Tom Grant's Murder Investigation Manual, "Who Killed Kurt Cobain?" |
| THE ARRIVAL OF THE HOMICIDE TEAM Serious business or joke? You decide... |
| Sean O'Donnell, Media Relations Officer for Seattle Police Dept-- "Our detectives went into this investigation on the premise that this was a homicide.... so that there was a very thorough and comprehensive investigation done from the beggining....everything that the detectives encountered indicated to them that this was a suicide. We actually found nothing we saw led us to believe this was anything but a suicide." NBC TV's Unsolved Mysteries-- Feb. 2, 1997 Sgt. Cameron, Seattle Police Dept. -- "If it hadn't been for Kurt Cobain, the case would have been closed after the medical examiners verdict. We never took the possiblitiy of homicide very seriously." "Who Killed Kurt Cobain?" Dr. Nikolas Hartshorne, Chief Medical Examiner KCME-- "They [the homicide unit] came to the scene because of the popularity of the individual."-- Dec. 1995 "Who Killed Kurt Cobain?" SPD anonymous source-- "Cameron, who is an excellent detective, made it clear that the so-called homicide investigation was just a show and that "we weren't supposed to take it seriously". "Who Killed Kurt Cobain?" It is apparent from the statements above that the Seattle Police Dept didnt take Kurt's death seriously. As with finding a dead body, police are instructed to go on to a scene unbiased and report only facts as they see it without personal opinions. The fact is, Kurt was not treated with respect nor given the benefit of the doubt. |
| THE MISSING CREDIT CARD--SOMEONE WAS USING KURT'S CREDIT CARD |
| When Cobain's body was found, the two versa-teller cards were found in his wallet, but the SeaFirst Bank credit card was missing. Records later recieved from SeaFirst Bank indicate someone was attempting to use Cobain's SeaFirst Bank card up until, and as late as April 6th and 8th. The Seattle Police never followed up on this missing credit card, nor found out who was using it. |
| Tom Grant-- "First the facts: The police have in their possession, a record of the attempted credit card activity as mentioned and displayed in the Unsolved Mysteries segment. The police got that record through my office. We had obtained it from the credit card company. We passed it on to the Seattle detectives." Tom Grant's Murder Investigation Manual |
| SEATTLE POLICE REPORT -- Dated 4/08/94 Incident report #94--156500 Det. Jim Yoshida and Det. Steve Kirkland "Checked Cobain's wallet. There is no SeaFirst versa-teller card with the above listed number. There are two SeaFirst versa-teller cards with different numbers in the wallet." |
| Tom Grant-- "I maintained Kurt Cobain was killed late Sunday evening, April 3rd, or in the early morning hours of Monday, April 4th. The Medical Examiner has estimated the time of death to be no later than that of April 5th. By either account, atleast two transactions were attempted after Cobain was dead." Tom Grant's Murder Investigation Manual |
| When asked about the times listed on the record, they informed that the times listed were probably inaccurate because the transaction attempt doesn't always get recorded until later. When asked to explain just how inaccurate the recorded times might be, could the discrepancy amount to as much as a day or two? |
| SeaFirst Bank Company Representative-- "No. It would be only a few minutes, or in some cases an hour or so..but never a day or more." Tom Grant's Murder Investigation Manual, NBC TV's Unsolved Mysteries, "Who Killed Kurt Cobain?" |
| Sean O'Donnell, Media Relations Officer for Seattle Police Dept.-- "The information we've been able to receive from the bank has only been able to identify for us when the information was logged onto their mainframe computer and not specifically when the attempt was made and who it was made by." Tom Grant's Murder Investigation Manual, "Who Killed Kurt Cobain?" |
| NO LEGIBLE FINGER PRINTS |
| (####) Indicates area on report blocked out) |
| SEATTLE POLICE DEPT.-- FINGER PRINT ANALYSIS REPORT Dated 5/06/94 Fingerprint Examiner T. Geronimo ITEM NUMBER DESCRIPTION Item# 8 Remington M-11 20 gauge shotgun serial # 1088925 PLEASE DO NOT PROCESS ####### AS THIS WEAPON IS TO BE EXAMINED BY THE WASHINGTON STATE PATROL CRIME LAB AFTER IT IS PROCESSED BY THE SPD ID UNIT. HIGH MEDIA PROFILE CASE FINGERPRINT ANALYSIS REPORT "The above item was processed for prints on 5/06/94, by Sr. ID Technician T. Geronimo, #4466. Four cards of latent prints were lifted. The four cards of lifted latent prints contain no legible prints." |
| Sean O'Donnell, Media Relations for the Seattle Police Dept.-- "Well I think it's clear that anyone who is familiar with firearms and their use would know that as they hold a weapon that frequently that weapon will move in there hand. Additionally when that weapon is discharged that causes a jerking motion which causes the hands to move over the surface of the weapon and all of those factors could cause any fingerprints that may have been left on the weapon to be unusable." Tom Grant's Murder Investigation Manual |
| Tom Grant-- "I would agree ... if the shotgun had never been touched until the moment it was fired into Cobain's mouth. Then O'Donnell's "theory" might be remotely possible. But let's do a reality check here." Tom Grant's Murder Investigation Manual |
| THE NOTE |
| REALITY CHECKS |
| 1) The gunshop owner and/or employee had to handle the gun when it was put on display at the shop. 2) Kurt Cobain would also have handled this gun on March 30th, the day he purchased it. In addition to handling the shot gun during the sales transaction, someone at the store had to show Cobain how to load it and how it works. This would require extensive handling of the weapon not only by Cobain, but also by at least one other person at the gun shop. 3) After putting the shotgun in the car, Cobain would've handled it again when he got out of the car and take it inside his house. 4) He would've handled it a few days later when he returned home and retrieved the weapon from where he left it in the house. 5) The shotgun was loaded with three shells prior to being discharged. Since it was loaded for protection, someone, most likely Kurt himself, loaded those three shells into the shotgun. |
| Roger Lewis- "There is an officially acknowledged lack of legible fingerprints on the shotgun. The weapon was handled by two or more people several times before Cobain's death, so it is possible someone wiped the gun clean to intentionally avoid detection." Roger Lewis Essay "Dead Men Don't Pull Triggers" |
| The gun wasn't tested for fingerprints until a month later. The box of shotgun shells and the pen used to write the note wasn't checked for prints until almost three years later, and both results were no prints were found on either the pen or cartridge box! |
| MARKS BEING CONSISTANT? |
| SEATTLE POLICE DEPT.-POLICE REPORT Dated 4/08/94 Incident report # 94--156500 Det. Jim Yoshida and Det. Steve Kirkland Police narrative: "The shotgun had been placed in Cobain's mouth and discharged. There were marks on Cobain's hands consistent with the firing of this weapon." |
| Tom Grant- "I can say with confidence that there were no marks on Cobain's hands that would indicate he fired this weapon. I've had the police reports analyzed by other homicide detectives and criminalists. No one can figure out what these "marks" could have been. I can't explain further at this time, but I can tell you the authorities will never claim the marks were GS residue or soot. Some of the additional evidence I've obtained regarding these so-called "marks" cannot be disclosed until the case is reopened. If the Seattle authorities ever care to describe the "marks" in detail, I'll come forward with additional evidence that will prove those so--called "marks" did not really exist." Tom Grant's Murder Investigation Manual |
| SOME FACTS ABOUT ROME THE OVERDOSE THE CONCLUSION TO THE SUICIDE SOLUTION |
| NOTE TO READER: This list is only a partial draft as I have only so much time devoted to this site. So, please keep reading Tom's site and Frances' site along with any others that support the same claims. |
| It took two years for the Seattle Police Dept to finally admit that line in the report about the marks on Kurt's hands was false. As was mentioned in the 103.1 The Buzz radio interview : Recently, Sgt. Cameron of the Seattle Police Dept. has finally admitted to a reporter that the line in the police report was a lie. He quotes, " Yeah, there weren't any marks on his hands...Some rookie must've put that line in the police report." |
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| CASE OUTLINE |
| The Seattle Police deliberately misled Grant and the press. In addition, they've covered up important information and in general, they've demonstrated something of a brick wall when it came to finding the truth. Also, the 'copy cat' suicides have already begun and there was no way an outside investigator was going to overturn the official opinion on the cause of Kurt's death, and opinion that had already resulted in world wide media coverage and had cost the loss of additional lives. |
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| Marcel B. Matley, American Expert Document Examiner- "As to the last four lines, there are more than a dozen differences that should give us pause and we would have to reasonably explain these differences before we could conclude it was written by Cobain." Unsolved Mysteries, Tom Grant's Murder Investigation Manual |
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| An SPD officer who wishes to remain anonymous- "The clincher for many of us was the note. Anybody who saw it thought it was strange. The handwrting changes at a very suspicious place." "Who Killed Kurt Cobain?" |
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| THE ONLY CONTRADICTION IN THIS CASE: Sean O'Donnell, Media Relations Officer for the Seattle Police Dept in refering to their own document examiner- "It was in her own opinion that it was written by Cobain." Tom Grants Murder Investigation Manual |
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