Despite last week?s FBI ruling that Robert Clay ? the Baltimore businessman and political activist ? committed suicide, family members said they still have doubts.
“It?s obvious to me and it?s obvious to the rest of my family Robert was murdered,” said Raymond Clay, Robert?s older brother.
Raymond, speaking publicly about his brother?s death for the first time, said his brother received death threats a few days before his body was found in the hallway of his Reservoir Hill office with a single gunshot wound to the back of the head on May 16, 2005.
“The Wednesday before he died, someone called him at the office and said they were going to kill him,” Raymond Clay said.
The FBI?s ruling was made public last week after Baltimore City Councilman James Kraft sent a letter requesting the federal agency review the case.
The request was made after a City Council hearing called for police to reopen the investigation of Robert Clay?s death.
The FBI issued its findings based on blood splatter analysis from crime scene photographs.
Police denied The Examiner?s public information request and the Clay family?s request for those photographs in an effort to submit them to outside experts for review. The Examiner has since requested the FBI records on the agency?s recent review.
“We support the finding of the Baltimore Police Department and the medical examiner that the death of Mr. Clay was a suicide,” FBI spokeswoman Michelle Crnkovich said.
Federal agents said it would have been impossible for someone to shoot Clay in the head at point-blank range without disturbing the splatter.
But Raymond Clay rebutted the federal agents? claim.
“Whoever did it had him get down on his knees,” he said. “The splatter was on the floor. He was kneeled down on the floor. He wasn?t standing up.”
The redacted police report does not say if Robert Clay kneeled or stood. But police and medical records suggest Clay shot himself with a stolen gun using his left hand. He was right-handed.
Robert Clay?s cousin, Cheryl Clay, also said she is dissatisfied.
“We?re not going to let this go,” she said. “There is no closure until there is justice. We?re not going to settle for what the FBI or the Baltimore City Police Department [say] that it was it was suicide.
“He was too full of life.”
