Family of Missouri ER doctor found dead in Ozarks lake insists it was not suicide

The family of a doctor found dead in the Ozarks last month have revealed he died from a bullet to the head – and the wound they say was not self-inflicted.

The new detail, offered by the late doctor’s brother on Tuesday, relates to the mysterious death of Dr John Forsyth – and comes three weeks after the father-of-eight’s corpse was discovered floating in an Arkansas lake.

A wealthy man who made his fortune as the first Bitcoin investor, Forsyth, 49, was reported missing nine days earlier – sparking a massive search after he failed to report for a shift at his hospital 25 miles away of the..

Police have since confirmed Forsyth was shot, but have said nothing further to the public or Forsyth’s family as they continue to investigate his death. Three days before he disappeared, he proposed to his pregnant fiancée. A few days before, he had finalized the divorce with his wife – the mother of seven of his eight children.

Forsyth’s brother Richard previously told DailyMail.com that he had seen Forsyth days before he disappeared and that his behavior did not constitute “the actions of a person killing himself”.

Richard also claimed his brother was kidnapped and threatened by multiple assailants last year, in an event he called “crypto-related”.

The new detail of the mysterious case was unveiled by the late doctor’s brother, Richard, on Monday, three weeks after the father-of-eight’s body was found floating in a lake.

Police – seen here recovering the body of the Missouri doctor on May 30 – have since confirmed he was fired, but have not told Forsyth’s family anything else as they continue to investigate on his death.

“I understand he was killed with a single bullet to the head, and it was not a suicide,” the Missouri man’s brother told Fox News on Tuesday – after refraining from give details of the 2022 case out of concern for his family.

‘It was expected. It was very well done, and it’s very sinister,’

Not revealing who provided him with the information regarding the fatal shooting, Richard remained adamant that his brother’s death was a homicide and that the perpetrator – or perpetrators – responsible may still be there.

“I want to know if my family is in danger. I want to know if I’m in danger,” Richard said, alleging a second kidnapping. “We don’t have that information.”

Speaking to the outlet, Richard – who founded crypto firm OnFo with his brother in 2018 – added that he learned his brother had likely died the same day he disappeared from the Cassville countryside, a town of only 3,100 inhabitants.

He then offered further details which he said backed up his claims and those of his family. Forsyth was kidnapped and later killed, as his brother and ex-wife were reportedly on good terms and their relationship ended about two years ago.

The account comes after he revealed to DailyMail.com some of the circumstances surrounding his brother’s alleged kidnapping last year in early February 2022.

Remaining vague, Richard said Forsyth – who was said to have invested millions in bitcoin in his early days – was allegedly kidnapped, but did not report the crime.

He reportedly only told a mutual friend, who then told the story to the police and the rest of Richard’s family after he disappeared.

‘It was cold. It was attached to the zipper. He was made to feel very unsafe and driven with people to a bridge and threatened,’ said Richard, who created an obscure cryptocurrency called Onfo with his brother.

John said the heartbreaking ordeal was somehow related to cryptocurrency, but did not provide specifics.

‘It was cold. It was attached to the zipper. We made him feel very unsafe and drove him with people to a bridge and threatened him.

“He did not file a complaint with the police as he believed he was in permanent danger,” he added.

Despite the terrifying ordeal, Forsyth never filed a police report. His brother only said he thought the kidnapping was “crypto related” and knew nothing else about the perpetrators.

He further denied that there was still no evidence linking the 2022 incident to Forstyh’s death last month, but insisted: “It comes out very clearly in the tables of facts that have emerged about the case.”

Meanwhile, the three agencies investigating Forsyth’s death — the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the Benton County Sheriff’s Office in Arkansas, and the Cassville Police Department — have not commented on the case, putting except for the fact that the “investigation” is active.

A frustrated Richard told Fox News: ‘They said they knew a lot more now and were halfway through their investigation. I have no idea what that means.’

Not revealing who provided him with the information regarding the fatal gunshot, Richard remained adamant that his brother’s death was a homicide and that the perpetrator – or perpetrators – responsible may still be there, putting him and his family in danger. Pictured: Dr. Forsyth’s family; second from left Dixie Andelin Forsyth (mother) and next to her Robert Duane Forsyth (father), Richard Forsyth (brother) is in the middle, flanked by his sister

Forsyth’s body was found near the shore opposite the Lost Bridge South area of ​​Beaver Lake, about 20 miles south of Cassville, police said.

Forsyth is pictured here his pregnant fiancée Laura Barnett. Three days before he disappeared, he proposed. A few days earlier, he had finalized a divorce with his ex-the mother of seven of his children

In a strange new image, his stethoscope can be seen hanging around the rear view mirror of his Infiniti sedan

An extensive search of 90 acres was carried out soon after by the Cassville Police Department, which yielded no results until a kayaker found his body last month.

What is known is that Forsyth was last seen on surveillance footage walking towards an RV he was guarding in the parking lot of the hospital where he worked at around 7am, and had texted his fiancee to tell her he would see her later.

She answered at 6:59, but he never answered. He kept the $260,000 RV in the hospital parking lot so he could sleep between his long 12-hour shifts.

That evening, Frothy was due back at the hospital at 7 p.m., but never showed up. His other car, a black Infiniti, was later found near a rubbish tip at a leisure center a mile away, where he is seen in surveillance footage arriving around 7.12am.

Forsyth’s wallet, phone and passport were all left inside, along with his stethoscope – left hanging from the vehicle’s rear view mirror.

In the aforementioned surveillance footage, a white SUV can be seen briefly stopping next to the sedan, before driving off.

About 15 minutes later, a man cops believe to be the doctor is seen in the video walking out of frame.

He is not seen returning to the car, which remained parked and unlocked when it was found by the cops.