EXCLUSIVE: Hunter S. Thompson Murder Bombshell! 'Life-Changing Discovery' Sparks Fresh Probe Into Author's Shocking Death 20 Years Later
A life-changing discovery sparks a new murder probe into author Hunter S. Thompson's shocking death.
Nov. 20 2025, Published 6:15 a.m. ET
Authorities in Colorado are investigating the suicide of famed gonzo journalist Hunter S. Thompson as a possible murder after his widow made a "life-changing" discovery, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
Thompson, best known for his book Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, was 67 when he died of a gunshot wound to the head in his Woody Creek, Colorado, home in February 2005.
Anita Thompson, 53, told The Associated Press days after her husband's death he had been talking about suicide for months. She sparked the new probe earlier this year after contacting Pitkin County Sheriff Michael Buglione, who stated that while there was no new evidence suggesting foul play, the Sheriff's Office was committed to answering any lingering questions.
A Life-Changing Find
Colorado authorities reopened the Hunter S. Thompson case after his widow, Anita, reported a 'life-changing' discovery.
Anita's concerns were raised over things she'd "been hearing from, say, friends and possibly relatives about Hunter's demise," Buglione said. "She'd just found out something that is life-changing for her."
Hunter's son, Juan Thompson, now 61, called law enforcement to report his death. Pitkin County Deputy John Armstrong responded and heard three shots ring out as he approached the home.
Juan walked out of the house and told Armstrong he fired three shotgun blasts into the air "to mark the passing of his father."
Hunter was found sitting in his desk chair with a .357 on the floor near his foot, along with a .45 handgun on a nearby shelf.
Finding The Shotgun
Deputy John Armstrong's report details Juan Thompson's account of the night his father died.
"Juan told me that his father had shot himself," Armstrong wrote in his report, according to the Vail Daily. "[He] said he had been in the living room next to the kitchen, where his father was. I asked Juan if he had heard the shot. Juan said he had heard a dull sound, not a sharp crack typical of a gunshot."
Juan's shotgun was on the living room floor, according to Armstrong's report.
The medical examiner at the time ruled the death a suicide, noting: "There's no smoking gun here."
Juan did not respond to a RadarOnline.com message by the time of publication, and Anita declined to comment.
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Juan's memoir, 'Stories I Tell Myself,' reveals a turbulent childhood with his father.
Hunter's grandson, William, 27, told RadarOnline.com: "I don't think we are talking to reporters, and I appreciate your interest."
Hunter's only child, son Juan, described his childhood in a 2016 book.
Juan described his tumultuous childhood in his 2016 memoir, Stories I Tell Myself: Growing Up With Hunter S. Thompson.
According to the book's promo: "He writes of his growing fear of his father; of the arguments between his parents reaching frightening levels; and of his finally fighting back, trying to protect his mother as the state troopers are called in to separate father and son."
