A Massachusetts father, Stanley Kotowski, 60, was found deceased on Monday during a family vacation on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. The cause of death was confirmed as suicide by local authorities. Kotowski had disappeared from his rental home on August 16 amidst a mental health crisis. He was found in the vicinity of the rental property, having used a method to restrict his oxygen supply, leading to his death.
Beaufort County Coroner, David Ott, stated in a press conference on Tuesday that the estimated day of death coincided with the day Kotowski went missing. While the specifics of Kotowski’s death were not disclosed by the police, it was confirmed that he died by asphyxiation. Ott clarified 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 grappling with paranoia and insomnia. He had sought medical help both before and during the family vacation. His wife, Jackie Kotowski, shared on social media that her husband had been struggling with severe insomnia and growing anxiety over the past month. He had developed a fear that people, including authorities, were after him.
During the family vacation, Kotowski had also developed an anxiety about the ocean, fearing sun exposure, jellyfish, and sharks. On August 16, a Ring camera captured footage of him leaving the rental home barefoot and appearing disoriented as he walked onto the street.
The search for Kotowski involved an extensive manhunt that spanned 11 days, employing 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.