The Montezuma County Sheriff’s Office has concluded its investigation into the death of a man who apparently ended his life near Mancos in early May.
Sheriff’s deputies responded to a home on County Road 31 at about 12:27 a.m. on May 4, according to a recently released report, after a homeowner called to report that 31-year-old Christopher Hendry, who had been staying with the family for several months, was unresponsive in the garage. About two hours earlier, Hendry had posted a Facebook Live video in which he apologized to family members and said he hoped he could “possibly find peace somewhere,” according to the report. He had been discovered by his girlfriend around midnight.
His death was ruled a suicide by county coroner George Deavers.
Montezuma detective Bryce Queen said the video Hendry had uploaded just before ending his life was hidden from his public profile by the time investigators were able to examine the cell phone he used to film it. But he did leave behind another Facebook video, posted about 12 hours before his death. In it, Hendry is shown singing an original country music song he called “Take It Easy,” about loneliness, breakups and other struggles of life. Despite the song’s melancholy words, it has an upbeat tune, and the singer ends the video with a big smile at the camera.
Hendry was from Blanco, New Mexico, but according to the sheriff’s report, he had been living with his girlfriend’s family in Montezuma County since February. He had recently lost his job on an oil field in North Dakota. According to Montezuma County Sheriff Steve Nowlin, the investigation revealed that Hendry had had disagreements with a previous girlfriend.
The report cited statements from relatives who said Hendry had made attempts on his own life at least twice before, but was not under the care of a doctor or taking any medication.
According to a toxicology report, Hendry was under the influence of alcohol and cocaine at the time of his death.
Queen said it took several weeks to close the investigation because the sheriff’s office needed to inform Hendry’s immediate family about the facts, as well as get the results from the toxicology report.
“These situations are always very difficult for the family to accept and process,” Queen said.
He said it was the first time he had seen Facebook used to broadcast a suicide note in Montezuma County. Facebook’s community standards say the site “prohibit(s) content that promotes or encourages suicide or any other type of self-injury.”
In 2016, nine suicides were reported in Montezuma County, the highest number in four years, according to crime statistics compiled by the sheriff’s office.
Hendry’s family could not be reached for comment, but many of his friends and relatives left comments on his final Facebook video after his death, expressing their love for him. His memorial service was held in Broomfield, New Mexico, on May 13.
Hendry is survived by a son from a previous relationship, according to the sheriff’s office.
This article was reposted on June 6, 2017, to clarify information about Christopher Hendry’s previous relationship.
How to get help
For help with suicidal thoughts, depression or other mental health issues, contact the following sources:
Axis Health Systems
www.axishealthsystem.org
970-565-7946
Hotline: 970-247-8255
691 E. Empire St., Cortez
Colorado Crisis Services: 844-493-8255
National Suicide Prevention Hotline: 800-273-8255
National Crisis Text Hotline: 741741
Action plan
The San Juan Basin Public Health Department is creating an action plan to combat La Plata County’s high suicide rate, based on the public service organization LivingWorks’s “10 Pillars of a Suicide Safer Community:”
Establishing a leadership committee with representation from schools, healthcare providers, the faith community, law enforcement and others;
Develop a community needs assessment and action plan to guide the leadership team;
Mental health and wellness promotion that could include enhancing existing resources with such things as mindfulness training and family-friendly gathering places;
Suicide prevention awareness that could include expanding initiatives such as anti-bullying programs;
Training community members to identify at-risk people and help them get needed support;
Suicide intervention collaboration to ensure crisis providers and counselors can provide needed support;
Improve clinical and support services collaboration and communication to better understand possible gaps in services;
Suicide bereavement support and ensuring resources are accessible to individuals and families;
Evaluation and dissemination of the action plan, and
Capacity building and sustainability to ensure the efforts have long-lasting strength.
