November 4, 2006
Family Says Actress Was Not Suicidal
The family of actress-director Adrienne Shelley does not believe she killed herself. Shelley's husband Andrew Ostroy spoke to WABC 7 and said, "My wife did not herself... I'm doing everything I can, everything humanly possible to find out exactly what happened." The police tend to believe the death was a suicide (her body was found hanging from a bathroom shower rod), but some evidence at Shelley's Greenwich Village office is still being investigated. Ostroy said about their young daughter, "That little girl has to know, has to grow up knowing the truth."
The Post, which noted that Shelley's mother told the press it was "terrible" to suspect she committed suicide, had some interesting details:
Ostroy, who has a 3-year-old daughter with Shelly, was questioned by cops for nearly five hours, police sources said.The police are waiting for the ME's office to release the toxicology report.A police source said there was no history of domestic violence between the couple. Police sources also said detectives believe there was a suicide note, but that it may have been removed.
A cousin of Shelly told The Post on Thursday that she seemed happy and gave no indication she wanted to kill herself.
A source at the building where she died told The Post yesterday that he was the last person to see her alive. He agreed she did not look suicidal.
"She was happy, really happy," said the man. "We talked for a bit about Halloween mostly. I said 'How was your Halloween?' She said 'It was great, I took my daughter [Sophie] trick-or-treating. She was Cinderella.' "
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But, was she depressed anytime in the last 3-6 months, or after the birth of her child? Postpartum depression can go on for years after you give birth, especially if you don't receive treatment. Furthermore, individuals who have been grappling with suicidal ideation often appear content and at peace once they have come up with their plan. They know that it will end soon. It is a relief for them. Just because your life looks good on the outside doesn't mean it feels good on the inside.
I agree with the previous commenter. Suicide is such an ingrained taboo that families are loath to accept it.
Strange how the last update here was Nov 6?
Anyway, time has moved along, and now it seems like a construction worker who had a massive row with Ms Shellley is believed to have killed her by hanging her from the shower rail and making it look like a suicide.
Diego Pillco (19) had been working on the apartment underneath Ms Shelley's, and she had complained about the noise level, even threatening to go to the Polce.
According to his statement, he pleaded with her not to go to the police - then grabbed her - so she slapped him away, and he punched her in the head. "A blow that killed her", he said.
Not so.
According to the Prosecutor - Marit Delozier - there were no signs of trauma to the head, and the medical examiners report said that her death was definitely due from "compression to the neck".
As of November 8, Pillco was held without bail, pending a trial.
So now we know.