WASATCH COUNTY, Utah — Ted Whitehead, a man police believed to be dead, walked into the Wasatch County Sheriff’s Office Saturday morning just after 10:30 and turned himself in.
“We had suspicions that he may have faked his own death but we didn’t have any solid evidence,” said Lt. Jeremy Curry with the Duchesne County Sheriff’s Office.
Whitehead faced charges of sex abuse of a minor in Duchesne County in April of 2016. He posted bond while waiting for trial. On June 1st, 2016, investigators were contacted by one of Whitehead’s family members who said he had left a suicide note.
The note indicated he intended to jump off the Highway 88 Bridge in Ouray Utah and kill himself in the Green River. Investigators found some of his clothes and an empty whiskey bottle near the river.
“Searched the area for approximately two weeks looking for his body, that body was never found,” said Lt. Curry.
Police continued to follow leads on various possible sightings of Whitehead but treated the disappearance as a missing persons case. Recently, Duchesne County Sheriff’s deputies received a laptop in the mail.
It came anonymously but was purported to be Ted Whitehead’s computer. A search of the computer led police to believe Whitehead may have faked his death.
Last week, various media reports speculated Whitehead could still be alive. Lt. Curry believes Whitehead learned of the media reports and chose to turn himself in.
Whitehead is awaiting transfer from Wasatch County to Duchesne County but has initially refused to be interviewed by their investigators.
