Details are beginning to emerge about the circumstances surrounding the tragic death of country singer Mindy McCready, 37, who took her own life Sunday, Feb 17.
Deputies were sent to her home around 4 p.m. and found her body on the front porch along with that of her dead dog.
The Cleburne County Sheriff’s office released the following statement last night:
“At 3:31 PM, Sunday, February 17th deputies from the Cleburne County Sheriff’s Office were dispatched to a report of gun shots fired in the area of 1132 Fox Chase Drive in Heber Springs. Officers arrived on the scene at 3:58 PM and discovered the body of 37 year old Melinda Gayle McCready on the front porch of the residence. Ms. McCready was pronounced dead at the scene from what appears to be a single self-inflicted gunshot wound. At this time family members have been notified of the incident. Ms. McCready will be transported to the Arkansas State Crime Lab for an autopsy and the matter will be fully investigated.”
The dog, oddly, was a key figure in an ongoing investigation into the death of McCready’s longtime boyfriend who died of a gun shot last month. McCready recently told NBC, “I didn’t find the bullet, the dog did. It was in the dog’s mouth.”
McCready is survived by her son Zander, 6, with ex Billy McKnight, and baby Zayne, 10 months.
The youngest child’s father, record producer David Wilson, was found dead on Jan. 13, 2013 of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot. Coroner Warren Olmstead, who has not yet ruled in the case of Wilson, will also be conducting the autopsy and death investigation in the McCready case.
A judge removed both of Mindy’s sons from her custody on Feb. 6 citing safety and welfare as his prime concern. McCready was sent back to rehab for a mental-health and alcohol-abuse evaluation but was reportedly moved to outpatient care within the last few days.
Zander’s father appeared this morning on TODAY and said, “As sad as it is, it didn’t come as a major shock, because she’s just been battling demons for so long. I was around her when she attempted suicide twice, so I knew it was in her.”
Photo Credit: WENN
