Outspoken Scientology Critic, Shawn Lonsdale, Found Dead In Clearwater
In what is being reported as an apparent suicide, 39 year-old Clearwater resident Shawn Lonsdale, an outspoken local critic of Scientology, was found dead in his home on Saturday.
The St. Petersburg Times has more details:
CLEARWATER - Shawn Lonsdale, whose one-man crusade against Scientology made him a public enemy of the church, was found dead at his home over the weekend in an apparent suicide. He was 39.
Police discovered Lonsdale’s body at 12:20 p.m. Saturday after neighbors reported a foul odor. They found a garden hose stretched from the exhaust pipe of Lonsdale’s car into a window of his home at 510 N Lincoln Ave., according to Clearwater police spokeswoman Elizabeth Daly-Watts.
Daly-Watts said there were no signs of foul play, and police found what appeared to be a suicide note. It was not immediately available.
The medical examiner’s office said the official cause of death is pending toxicology reports
Prior to his death, Shawn had quietly dropped off the grid from his routine protests against the Church of Scientology in the town of Clearwater, where the infamous Fort Harrison Hotel is located.
Fort Harrison Hotel is a Scientology mecca, which hosts members from around the globe for a variety of the courses the organization offers. And Clearwater, Florida is a town polarized by the presence of the secretive church.
Coincidentally, Ft. Harrison is also the location of many strange events which have taken place over the years within the Church of Scientology, the most controversial of which was the death of Lisa McPherson. McPherson would have been 49 this month had she not died while in the care of Scientologists in 1995, after what started out as a minor fender bender. The story of Lisa’s death is the subject of many anti-Scientology websites and forums, and at the crux of global protests by the internet activist group Anonymous earlier this month.
Right after Lisa’s car accident, she was picked up and transported to a local hospital after she was found to be disoriented and in a state of undress. Lisa was released to members of the Church of Scientology who told hospital officials they would be looking after her. Seventeen days later, Lisa was declared DOA, after Scientology members finally had her transported to a city hospital. According to the county coroner, Lisa was in a severe state of dehydration and had what were thought to bug bites all over her body (possibly cockroaches) as well as numerous bedsores resulting from her comatose state at the end of her life. Ultimately, it was this state of immobility which lead the embolism which killed her. For more on the mysterious events surrounding Lisa’s death, visit here.
The death was a major point of contention between the residents of Clearwater and the Church of Scientology and many local protests have been staged against the church since they took up residency in this coastal Florida town. After many legal battle between Lisa’s family and the Church, criminal charges were dropped and the CoS settled with the McPhersons for an undisclosed sum.
But the lingering bad blood remained, and Shawn took up what the SP Times calls “a one-man crusade” against the Church, where he’d frequently set up shop with his “Cult Watch” sign, and camera at the ready, capturing the daily goings on at the local Scientology center.
More from the SP Times article on Lonsdale’s fight against the CoS:
Lonsdale, who was never a Scientologist, was an odd nemesis. He had no connection to the church before arguing with a Scientologist over redevelopment issues at a Clearwater City Council meeting.
But the self-described loner stepped into his new role with enthusiasm. At night, he dropped fliers on the doorsteps of downtown businesses. On his lunch break, he parked his car across the street from the church’s cafeteria with posters in his window that claimed people could find free versions of secret church texts on the Internet. He even picked church-related documents from piles of trash in front of a Scientology-owned business and posted some of the documents online.
The Church of Scientology and some its members fought back. They hired a private investigator to look into Lonsdale’s background and found two misdemeanor convictions for lewd and lascivious conduct, both related to public sex with men, in 1999 and 2000.
They called Lonsdale’s employer at a title company and his landlord and said that Lonsdale was a religious bigot, possibly dangerous.”
But in recent months, Shawn’s protesting halted and those who knew him state he was unable to continue his on-going efforts due to financial strains. The article states he found a job working an evening shift “stocking shelves,” and his landlord seemed shocked by his death, and couldn’t think of any recent events or clues which might have caused Shawn to kill himself.
Landlord Joe Critchley said Lonsdale was an ideal tenant: He paid the $650 rent on time every month and he kept the place clean. The last time they talked, Feb. 1 or Feb. 2, Lonsdale seemed fine. “He would be one of the last people I would expect to commit suicide,” Critchley said. “But you never know.”
Lawyer, Luke Lirot, whose had past dealings with the church, helped Shawn with some legal issues which cropped up because of his protests, had this to say about Shawn and his death:
“I found him to be quite affable and truly a very intelligent man,” Lirot said in an interview Monday. “I certainly hope that a very thorough investigation is conducted.”
There seem to be no apparent clues as to why Shawn would do this, and for people like Randy Panye, a former Scientologist and friend of Lonsdale it doesn’t make sense:
“He was getting on with his life, he had every reason to live.”
Local Church of Scientology spokesperson Pat Haney said it had “been months” since they’d heard from him.
We will keep you posted if any further developments arise.
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We’ll miss you Shawn. You will be remembered in all our hearts.
Bewared the Ides of March
03.15.08
Expect US
Comment by CyberChrist — February 19, 2008 @ 11:01 am
this is terrifying.
beware the ides of march.
Comment by Anonymous — February 19, 2008 @ 11:07 am
once again, glosslip…thank you for another right-on-the-mark report. you’re the best!
$cieno’s should be prepared to hear shawn lonsdale’s name used as a battle cry on march 15th.
i hope with all my heart that this is investigated further.
go rest high on that mountain, shawn. anon will carry your banner for you now.
Comment by AnonMomAnon — February 19, 2008 @ 11:15 am
A very, very thorough investigation should be conducted; I’m calling shenanigans on this one: there’s no reason he should have killed himself, especially not since the fight against Scientology is going so well.
We’ll remember you, Shawn.
Comment by Anonymous — February 19, 2008 @ 1:00 pm
ELIZABETH DALY-WATTS IS A SCIENTOLOGIST WHO HAS TAKEN THESE COURSES ‘Elizabeth Daly SUCCESS THROUGH COMMUNICATION COURSE Celebrity 278 1994-07-01
Elizabeth Daly PURIFICATION RUNDOWN Celebrity 281 1994-12-01
‘
Comment by Anonymous — February 19, 2008 @ 3:07 pm
Highly suspect.
He’s was physically attacked by a Scientologist by the name of Michael Fitzgerald in July 2006. The scientology “witnesses” told the police that Shawn had started the fight, but Shawn had video footage. Fitzgerald went to jail.
http://www.baynews9.com/content/36/2006/7/10/168101.html?title=He%20said,%20they%20said
Mike Fitzgerald - Scientology Service Completions
http://www.truthaboutscientology.com/stats/by-name/m/mike-fitzgerald.html
Comment by Nonya — February 19, 2008 @ 3:42 pm
Highly suspect. He’s was physically attacked by a Scientologist by the name of Michael Fitzgerald in July 2006. The scientology “witnesses” told the police that Shawn had started the fight, but Shawn had video footage. Fitzgerald went to jail.
http://www.baynews9.com/content/36/2006/7/10/168101.html?title=He%20said,%20they%20said
Mike Fitzgerald - Scientology Service Completions
http://www.truthaboutscientology.com/stats/by-name/m/mike-fitzgerald.html
Comment by Nonny — February 19, 2008 @ 3:46 pm
there is no way he committed suicide. this should be a murder investigation.
Comment by anon — February 19, 2008 @ 3:50 pm
I was so sad to hear of this, but immediately was struck by the oddity of this ‘apparent’ suicide. Why would he lead a tube from his exhaust pipe into his house? Surely if he wanted to end it all, he would have done it in the car, as it would have been much quicker?
Comment by Bruce — February 19, 2008 @ 3:51 pm
The whole thing sounds suspicious I agree, but we must withhold judgment until additional details are revealed.
Comment by D — February 19, 2008 @ 3:57 pm
Would scientologists be so arrogant to think that they could get away with murder when everyone is watching them?
I really doubt someone would go and stretch a hose from the car and into the home, when they could just do it more efficiently inside a car (like LRon’s son Quentin).
But I’m sure the CoS would know that they would be the prime suspects - wouldn’t they?
The timing is terribly unusual.
Another thing to consider is that in Clearwater, many of the local law enforcement are in the pockets of the CoS.
Comment by Nonny — February 19, 2008 @ 4:01 pm
D, Did you hear about this?
Scientology Given Direct Access To eBay Database
http://yro.slashdot.org/yro/08/02/19/1943206.shtml
Comment by Nonny — February 19, 2008 @ 4:04 pm
Shawn was featured in the John Sweeney BBC Panorama Doc. on CO$. He was the critic John Sweeney was interviewing when they were interrupted by Tommy Davis.
Comment by Rob — February 19, 2008 @ 4:31 pm
VERY HIGHLY suspicious. There should be a thorough investigation, especially where the Church of Scientology is involved. He was obviously a SP (Supressive Person) in the church’s eyes.
Comment by Kari — February 19, 2008 @ 4:51 pm
The paragraphs below are especially troubling. It’s the basic MO of the church - destroy credibility and lives. I had a boss who was a member of the church. He left and they harrassed him for years.
“The Church of Scientology and some its members fought back. They hired a private investigator to look into Lonsdale’s background and found two misdemeanor convictions for lewd and lascivious conduct, both related to public sex with men, in 1999 and 2000.
They called Lonsdale’s employer at a title company and his landlord and said that Lonsdale was a religious bigot, possibly dangerous.â€
Comment by Marla — February 19, 2008 @ 4:55 pm
This is VERY fishy! I hope it’s THOROUGHLY investigated.
Comment by anonanon — February 19, 2008 @ 5:26 pm
http://forums.enturbulation.org/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=3985&st=0&sk=t&sd=a&start=300
Comment by notanon — February 19, 2008 @ 6:43 pm
D, that’s one of the problems.
We don’t think there’s going to be a fair investigation unless the case is taken out of the hands of Clearwater PD. Mrs. Daly-Watts, the spokesperson who already has written this off as a suicide with no foul play, is herself a Scientologist.
Who is investigating this? Are any Scientologists? Considering the motives the Church of Scientology has for getting rid of Lonsdale, who was getting together a documentary about the Church (and we know from their history that they HATE that kind of thing), being a member of the very organization that should be a suspect by now, should be considered a conflict of interest and they should be taken off the case.
Heck, considering how woven into that place the Church of Scientology is, it should definitely not be in the hands of the Clearwater PD, regardless of the affiliations of individual investigators.
Comment by anotheranon123 — February 19, 2008 @ 10:09 pm
Well, I left a message for the SPTimes writer telling him I had some follow up questions for him. I haven’t heard back, but tomorrow I plan to call and harass the police department and the SPTimes again.
Who knows what I will find out, but I refuse to give up without a fight.
Like I said over on the forums, Anon needs to focus on getting the media involved. The authorities do NOT care. At all. Seriously. These things aren’t fixed by police, but by the public forcing the media to force the police to do something.
Circuitous? Yes, but the honest to God’s truth.
Comment by d — February 19, 2008 @ 10:19 pm
D,
Thank you for getting eyeballs on this. I personally think this is a setup with the goal of two purposes: One, frame CoS. It’s a little too neat, maybe the IRS is pissed at them. Two, further advance the goal of “homegrown” legislation if there is any response by internet mobs.
Read one of the top digg comments:
http://digg.com/people/Scourge_of_cien_ology_Dies_in_Apparent_Suicide?t=13009225#c13009225
Then read this:
http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h110-1955
H.R. 1955: Violent Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorism Prevention Act of 2007
(soon to be voted on by the Senate)
Comment by anon1234 — February 20, 2008 @ 5:21 pm
Seems that many posters here are HOPING Scientology hurt Shawn. Your motives are showing.
Comment by Roup — February 20, 2008 @ 9:28 pm
Scientology, killing off teh gays since 1970s!
END OF THE QUENTIN by Dennis Erlich
http://www.lermanet.com/exit/quentincoroner.htm
We learned later that he was found in his car in the desert near Las Vegas
airport. All the windows were closed and there was a tube from the tail pipe
into the car. The car and his person had been stripped of all evidence such as
licenses, which would identify the occupant. He was still alive, but
unconscious when he was found. Something happened in the hospital and he
died two weeks later without regaining consciousness. His death was listed as
a “possible suicide.” There are obviously a few questions still unanswered
about his death. - [Quentin Hubbard Coroner's Report, Death Certificate and Commentary]
Comment by Georgia — February 20, 2008 @ 11:00 pm
uh Roup - we’re not ‘hoping’ - we are very suspicious that this has been declared a suicide before the coroners report, and other investigations have been completed.
What motives are you talking about?
R.I.P. Shawn. You will be missed. And your life and death will not be in vain.
Comment by beebee — February 20, 2008 @ 11:03 pm
Have there been any updates in this case?
Comment by m — March 1, 2008 @ 12:10 pm
Scientology = big business. Far cheaper and effective to kill a critic than pay him off. Everything I see on these guys they sit in the back with a smug, arrogant smile on their face as they look down on everyone around them.
Comment by Anon — March 17, 2008 @ 5:49 pm
The authorities investigate elevated suicide and other death rates possibly related to prescription drugs, but what about all the deaths related to this insane cult? Why does no one look into this? How have they become so powerful as to be above the law? And why in God’s name is this completely fictional “religion” still given tax-exempt status by the IRS? What kind of tax-exempt “church” costs hundreds of thousands of dollars to join? It’s all so disgusting.
Comment by Larry Peebles — April 2, 2008 @ 7:13 pm
P.S. I always give my full name in these comments; I refuse to be intimidated. I have alerted everyone who will listen that if anything unusual ever happens to me, assume it was these slanderers and murderers.
Comment by Larry Peebles — April 2, 2008 @ 7:16 pm
Update today:
3rd May 08
“Scientology foe’s notes shed light on suicide”
http://www.tampabay.com/SearchForwardServlet.do?articleId=485879
Comment by Sponge — May 3, 2008 @ 11:27 am
I love and will miss you Shawn. You will never be forgotten!
http://www.scientomogy.com/shawn_lonsdale.php
Comment by Scientology — June 22, 2008 @ 3:21 am