CURRENT THEORY - SUMMARY SCENARIO
In the Matter of the Murder of Harold Eugene Vest
on 27 Jun 1946 in Gainesville, TX

This document is strictly confidential.  It is designed to document an independent assessment of the facts and theories surrounding the death of Harold “Buddy” Eugene Vest on June 28, 1946 in order to discover the truth.  This document necessarily includes a significant amount of personal information – some of which may not be accurate – in order to analyze investigative leads.  This document and its information are not designed to impugn anyone.  Readers must understand that many of the statements in this summary are not factual, but rather are opinions, impressions and speculations based on assumptions and interpretations of existing and necessarily incomplete information.  Further, the information contained in this summary is not warranted to be accurate and we assume no responsibility for damages arising from the publication, distribution, use of, or reliance on any such information.  This document is being provided confidentially in order to further the investigation.  It is a living document, and as such remains subject to change without notice. 

INTRODUCTION

In the early morning hours of June 28,1946, my dad, Harold “Buddy” Eugene Vest, was found hanged in the restroom of his cabinet shop at 805 East California St., Gainesville, TX. The inquest record was prepared by Justice of the Peace L.V. Henry. There was no autopsy performed at the time of Buddy’s death. There were no police reports prepared. Justice of the Peace Henry ruled the cause and manner of Buddy’s death as “asphyxiation by strangulation, produced by suicidal hanging.”

Each step of the investigation seems to provide a simple explanation; however, upon detailed analysis, the simple explanation is eliminated.

For example:

• Since there is no apparent motive for murder, my mother and I had accepted that Dad had died as a result of an autoerotic asphyxiation accident.

• Yet, it is apparent from looking at the evidence that he was interrogated by torture prior to his death.

• It seems absurd to think that, given his background and jobs in the Army, that Dad would have become involved in some intelligence operation to the extent that it would have resulted in his death.

• The Smith letter provided a plausible motive for his murder until it became obvious, two years into the investigation, that the letter was designed to take the investigation down “rabbit trails.”  The writer of the letter had detailed knowledge of the inquest record and witness statements concerning an out-of-town woman who was apparently involved in the surveillance of Dad and his cabinet shop, some two months before his death.

• When Investigator John Doe’s DNA was found on the envelope flap of the Smith letter, it was obvious that the investigator had written the letter and that his motive was to lengthen the investigation for the purpose of obtaining more investigation fees. (note: John Doe is a pseudonym)

• Further investigation revealed that Investigator Doe could not have written the letter because he did not have access to all of the information contained in the letter.

Other enigmas:

• What was the real motivation for writing the Smith letter?

• It appears from evidence described in this document that someone else is investigating Dad’s murder. Who is this person and why is he interested in this case?

• Why would a high level State Department/DIA employee make unsubstantiated assertions concerning Dad’s activities in 1945 and his death in 1946?

• Why would Buddy have unusual root canal therapy using porcelain crowns and gutta-percha?

• Why would an Army associate of Buddy become hysterical when questioned about Buddy’s activities in the European Theater of Operations?

And, the most important question of all: What is so important about what happened to Buddy in 1946 that would cause all of the commotion in 2003?