A tragic incident unfolded on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, where a Massachusetts man, Stanley Kotowski, 60, was found dead during a family vacation. Local authorities confirmed that the cause of death was suicide. Kotowski had been reported missing from his vacation rental on August 16, during a period of severe mental health distress. His body was discovered in the vicinity of the rental property, with the cause of death being asphyxiation.
Beaufort County Coroner, David Ott, revealed in a press conference on Tuesday that the estimated day of Kotowski’s death was the same day he was reported missing. While the exact details of his death were not disclosed, it was confirmed that asphyxiation was the cause. Ott further explained that the term ‘hanging’ does not necessarily imply the traditional method involving a rope and a ceiling drop.
In the days leading up to his disappearance, Kotowski had been battling paranoia and insomnia. He had sought medical assistance both prior to and during the family vacation. His wife, Jackie Kotowski, expressed on social media that her husband had been dealing with severe insomnia and escalating anxiety over the past month. He had developed a fear that people, including authorities, were pursuing him.
During the family vacation, Kotowski had also developed a fear of the ocean, including sun exposure, jellyfish, and sharks. On August 16, a Ring camera recorded him leaving the rental home barefoot and appearing disoriented as he walked onto the street.
The search for Kotowski was extensive, spanning 11 days and involving canines, drones, and door-to-door searches. The search teams had difficulty locating him due to his hiding spot – a small hatch near the outdoor shower of a neighboring villa that led to a crawl space. Search-and-rescue crews had attempted to enter the crawl space during their searches but were unsuccessful.
Beaufort County Sheriff PJ Tanner stated that upon reviewing the location where Kotowski’s body was found, he understood why it took so long to locate him. Kotowski’s body was eventually discovered near the Sea Pines rental where he and his family had been vacationing.