REPORTER'S DEATH RULED SUICIDE

                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SUNDAY, January 26, 1992                   TAG: 9201260181
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: E6   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: MARTINSBURG, W.VA.                                LENGTH: Short
REPORTER'S DEATH RULED SUICIDE
The investigation into the death of a Virginia free-lance reporter who was researching an alleged government scandal concluded Saturday that the man committed suicide, a prosecutor said.
Berkeley County Prosecutor Diana Cook Risavi said the investigation into the death of Joseph Casolaro, 44, of Fairfax, Va., consumed 1,000 man-hours but found no evidence to support allegations he was murdered.
"Furthermore, the physical evidence recovered from the scene and the home of the deceased, together with the medical examination of the body, are wholly consistent with the finding of suicide," she said in a prepared statement.
The prosecutor said she met with Casolaro's family for four hours Saturday to explain the investigation results.
But Casolaro's brother, Dr. Anthony Casolaro of Fairfax, said the family still has several unanswered questions.
"While I can't argue that the physical evidence supports suicide, I don't think we would exclude foul play based on several questions that the Martinsburg Police Department has been unable to answer," he said.
He said his brother's personal papers never were found, there were no fingerprints found on the razor blade used to slash his wrist, there was an unexplained trace of a prescription drug found in his blood, and the body was embalmed without permission before an autopsy could be conducted.
Keywords:
FATALITY

by Archana Subramaniam by CNB