Police: Shawn King's Overdose Probably Not Accidental

New report from Provo's finest reveals that a suicide note, as well as eight empty pill bottles and scripture verses were found near Larry King's unconscious—and currently recovering—wife

By Gina Serpe, Whitney English Jun 10, 2010 5:15 PMTags
Larry King, Shawn SouthwickPaul Morigi/Getty Images

When Shawn King's father told the 911 operator last month that, "no, no, no, no, no," his daughter was not suicidal, he may have been a bit too definitive.

Sadly, a police report that surfaced today indicates that there is evidence the overmedication of Larry King's wife may not have been as unintentional as first believed.

E! News has obtained the Provo Police Department Crime Report filed by officers who responded, along with paramedics, to the emergency call placed on May 28, in which Karl Engemann found his 50-year-old daughter unconscious in her bed. He told authorities that Shawn had been prescribed medication for anxiety and depression and may have lost track of her dosages, leading to an accidental overdose.

That no longer seems to be the case.

According to the police report, which despite Engemann's claims defined the incident as an "attempted suicide," multiple empty pill bottles—which at one point contained Compro, Prometrium, Clonaxepam, Ambien, Klonopin, Subutex, Cymbalta and Lyrica— were found on King's bed, in her purse and in her bathroom.

"Some of which had a prescription of thirty others of sixty, all of which were empty and which had been filled within ten days," the report read.

Sadly, police also discovered what they believe to be a suicide note left by King.

"I also noticed multiple sheets of paper, other various items such as scriptures, a purse, other various books and multiple pillows. The first page I saw one of the paramedics handed to me stated to me that it was on the bed which appeared to be a note left by the victim. At this time it is unknown whose writing this letter was in, however wording on the letter led me to believe that [Shawn] had intentionally taken the quantity of pills."

While the exact content of the writing has not been revealed, the report states that the papers indicated that Shawn "was leaving, or that she might hurt herself." King also expressed her desire "that she wished to be buried in Utah."

After being informed of the letters, King's father and mother, the latter of whom was not present when King was found, but who arrived at the residence before paramedics, asked and were allowed to read the documents before returning them to police custody.

No further action has been taken by police. Yesterday, Larry King issued a statement supporting his wife, with whom he had briefly engaged in divorce proceedings earlier this year. Her rep has not yet commented on the latest police report but said yesterday that she was currently recovering from the ordeal.

(Originally published June 10, 2010, at 9:02 a.m. PT)

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Hear the 911 call made by Shawn King's father.