Orlando toll corruption investigator dead - boss says killed self

Scott Pignone, assistant state attorney in charge of investigations into corruption in Orlando killed himself this morning according to his boss district state attorney Lawson Lamar.

Just last week Pignone gained indictments against Ron Pecora, former marketing and PR consultant to the Orlando toll authority and Doug Guetzloe, an anti-toll activity who was paid $107,500 in hush money by the toll authority in a scandal that has rocked the authority the past six months, leading to the departure of the authority chairman Allan Keen.


Lamar has said the investigation is ongoing and more indictments are likely.
The death of Pignone, 30, was announced by his boss Lamar who said he had talked to Pignone's wife and parents. He says they all said Pignone was happy in his life, his family and his work, and had no explanation for the reported suicide.

There are no details yet how he died, only that, in Lamar's words Pignone "took his own life at his home this morning."

Pignone, the son of realtor and a prominent county commissioner was a journalism graduate from the University of Florida who got a doctorate in law from Loyola University in New Orleans in 2001. A Republican himself his family contributed to John Kerry's campaign in 2004.

COMMENT: State Attorney Lawson Lamar's statement makes no sense. Happy people don't suddenly kill themselves.

CREDIT: picture from Orlando Sentinel.
TOLLROADSnews 2007.04.04