SPD officer accused in drug case dies of gunshot

Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn and Police Chief John Diaz speak to reporters after announcing that Officer Richard Francis Nelson died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound after the veteran officer was arrested for mishandling drug evidence on Thursday, January 5, 2011. less Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn and Police Chief John Diaz speak to reporters after announcing that Officer Richard Francis Nelson died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound after the veteran officer was arrested for ... more Photo: JOSHUA TRUJILLO Photo: JOSHUA TRUJILLO Image 1 of / 11 Caption Close SPD officer accused in drug case dies of gunshot 1 / 11 Back to Gallery

A Seattle police officer who was arrested early Thursday in a cocaine investigation was found hours later with an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound and died at Harborview Medical Center.

Richard Francis Nelson, of Issaquah, had been suspected of tampering with drugs seized as evidence since July 2011 when fellow South Precinct patrol officers alerted supervisors of concerns. The department then launched a criminal investigation.

In a separate incident, a South Seattle resident also alerted officers to Nelson's alleged misconduct. As part of the investigation, police tracked down that man but he did not assist police.

"He showed some inordinate interest in situations where drug evidence was being brought in," Police Chief John Diaz during a news conference when asked about the other officers' suspicions of Nelson. "It was a feeling, it was a hunch and I can't let those things go."

Nelson, the father of two teenage children, would have turned 51 next week.

Late Wednesday night, another agency helped Seattle police with what Assistant Chief Nick Metz described as an "integrity test." Nelson was given a purse with drugs to be entered as evidence, and investigators who tracked his moves wanted to see how Nelson would act.

They say he kept the cocaine, and Nelson was arrested after police followed his personal vehicle going home.

Metz said the drugs that were part of the investigation were found, and commanders took Nelson's gun and badge.

He was arrested, questioned at police headquarters, and booked into King County Jail about 4:15 a.m. Metz said Nelson declined to call an attorney or family. As part of the investigation, police investigators had been working with the King County Prosecutor's office.

Jail records show Nelson was released about a half hour later on personal recognizance, and an officer drove Nelson home to Issaquah shortly after.

"Nelson wasn't afforded any more lenient or severe treatment because of his status as a police officer," Sgt. Sean Whitcomb said in a statement. "To be released from custody is normal for first time drug offenders and is consistent with the King County Department of Adult and Juvenile Detention."

Police also said Nelson's commanders offered several referral options for counseling.

Shortly before 11 a.m. Thursday, as Diaz was preparing to brief reporters on Nelson's arrest, his body was found by a woman with her dog near the start of the John Wayne Trail near Rattlesnake Lake, about 30 miles east of Seattle. The gunshot wound was self-inflicted, police said.

Diaz rescheduled the briefing as the situation was unfolding and left for Harborview Medical Center.

A hospital spokesman confirmed Nelson's death shortly after 3:30 p.m.

"This is just one more example," Whitcomb said, "of the sorrow and devastation caused by drug addiction."

Police said there is an ongoing investigation, and it's not clear if cases were hindered by Nelson tampering with evidence. Diaz said it does not appear that the officer was taking the drugs to give to someone else.

Nelson was hired Sept. 4, 1990, and spent several years in the South Precinct on second watch.

Metz, who had previously been Nelson's commander in the South Precinct, said it was a tremendous tragedy for the department and that many officers were grieving.

"Despite what actions this officer took, he was a friend to many," Metz said. "It's been a heartbreaking 24 hours to say the least."

Court records show Nelson was charged with fourth-degree assault in March 2009, but charges were dismissed in October of that year. The Issaquah Municipal Court files were not immediately available Thursday.

The case is another setback for Seattle police, which recently had a Department of Justice investigation show that in some cases inadequate training and supervision led to officers grabbing batons too quickly and escalating confrontations for even minor offenses.

The department also has taken criticism for several high-profile videotaped incidents and the Aug. 2010 unjustified shooting death of woodcarver and public inebriate John T. Williams. Last October, a sergeant in the domestic violence unit was arrested and charged with domestic violence assault after officers in Chelan County reported seeing him drag his girlfriend by her hair through a gravel parking lot at the Leavenworth Octoberfest. His case is ongoing.

"Officers reported this, Seattle police investigated it, and held one of their own accountable," Mayor Mike McGinn said of Nelson's case. "At the same time, this is a human being who was fallible and (had) drug addiction apparently, or it appears, and that can strike anybody.

"In the midst of this storm ... of concerns, it's important to remember that our police officers, men and women, are going out there every day on behalf of the community."

For more Seattle police and crime news visit the front page of the Seattle 911 blog.

Casey McNerthney can be reached at 206-448-8220 or at caseymcnerthney@seattlepi.com. Follow Casey on Twitter at twitter.com/mcnerthney.