Good God. Floyd Landis' father-in-law committed suicide

[WilliamPitt]

This guy is just taking a beating.

http://sports.espn.go.com/oly/cycling/news/story?id=2551973

Coroner: Landis' father-in-law commits suicide
Associated Press

SAN DIEGO -- The father-in-law of embattled Tour de France winner Floyd Landis was found dead in his car after committing suicide, coroner's officials said Wednesday.

The body of 57-year-old David Witt was discovered at a parking garage Tuesday afternoon, said Paul Parker, an investigator with the San Diego County Medical Examiner. He had a gunshot wound to the head, and the death was ruled a suicide, Parker said.

"The Landises are devastated by the news of David's death," family spokesman Michael Henson told The Associated Press. "They loved him dearly, and they miss him."

Witt was the stepfather of Landis' wife, Amber.

...more...

[MrCoffee]

1. That sucks. Poor Floyd (and his wife, of course). n/t

[mmonk]

2. Depressing.

[NoSheep]

3. Good grief. This is horrible. Locusts are next.

[slackmaster]

4. This happened about two miles from my house

Terrible tragedy.

[arwalden]

5. Is This Another "Distraction" ??

Still it's tragic news. What a horrible thing that his family must now go through.

[WorseBeforeBetter]

7. Jon Benet absolutely, but not this one.

How many Americans give a flying phuck about cycling, let alone the suicide of the stepfather of a cyclist's wife? If it involved a NASCAR driver, however, stop the presses!

[OrangeCountyDemocrat]

6. Yeah....This Is A Complete Coincidence...

Yesterday afternoon people were arguing with me, saying that it might just be a coincidence, and has nothing to do with Landis' positive drug tests.

I guess the person who has to live with this on his conscience now is Floyd. Us Americans will do ANYTHING to WIN and get to First Place. Even cheat! Just ask our King.

Two weeks ago the guy was standing by Landis, saying how he will support him through the crisis, and just "wants to get through this mess." Doesn't sound like someone contemplating suicide.

But ya'all can continue thinking happy, positive thoughts, that there is no connection between the two. Reality says otherwise. There is no hidden reason for his suicide, although I'm sure you'll get Plenty of excuses from the Landis family in the coming days. His father-in-law likely found out the truth, and took it quite hard. It devastated him, and he took the Budd Dwyer way out, because he could not face the reality his son-in-law was a cheat.

[MrCoffee]

8. That's just sick.

[soothsayer]

9. You already have to be unstable to commit suicide. If this pushed

him over the edge, well, it's prolly only one reason among many. Who cares what their son in law does? You tell your kid to divorce him, you don't kill yourself for goodness sake.

[OrangeCountyDemocrat]

10. I Can Think Of Several Things

Someone you admire so much that you made him your best man.

Someone you thought was above board and a Man, so much that you
introduce him to your daughter and they marry.

Someone you believed in so much that you travel to France and watch him win his sport's greatest achievement.

Someone you supported so much that you went into the media willingly less than 2 weeks ago, and stood by your son-in-law.

Someone you trusted enough that you told everyone who would listen that he's 100% Innocent of the charges, and that you will fight for his Title and his Honor.

It's pointless trying to argue with those who apparently know so much about suicide. I guess the only people who commit suicide have long standing issues and problems. It would never be a Single incident which puts them over the edge. How naive.

All it takes is 1 devastating, life altering event to change someone's mindset. I don't care what anybody says. When you put All your faith, All your beliefs, All your hope, All your love and support, and then find out you were Lied to, Defrauded, had your Dignity and Stature damaged possibly beyond repair....it can make anybody do something they normally wouldn't, if they paused to think about it.

And I'm insensitive? The guy killed himself. It wasn't a 6 year old innocent girl getting raped and murdered. It wasn't an innocent Iraqi citizen getting blown away. This was a 50+ man, who knew what he was doing, and had a reason for doing it.

I still say that something happened in the last couple of weeks to make him take this way out. No way, no how did he sound like someone even remotely contemplating suicide, 2 weeks ago when he said he would stand by his son-in-law and get him through this mess. I hardly think that killing himself will help in that process, it was just his way of giving up.

The real question is, why do so many people continue to give Floyd the benefit of the doubt? Because he's an American? Is this the OJ syndrome, where our heroes are so beyond reproach, and the story is such a touching and heroic one, that we have no choice but to believe in him? Or is he really a cheat, that almost got away with fraud? Just like our leader.

If he did cheat, and then he tried to cover it up by lying, and that's the true reason for this death, then the person who must live with that guilt is Floyd. Although I imagine if he's a true cheater and liar, he will have no trouble doing that. The good ones rarely flinch.