Final autopsy results confirm SC lobbyist suicide

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — The Richland County coroner says final autopsy results leave no doubt that South Carolina Hospitality Association Executive Director Tom Sponseller killed himself.

The final autopsy results released Friday by Coroner Gary Watts show gunshot residue was found on Sponseller’s hand, showing he likely fired the bullet that went into his head.

Watts says the bullet matched a gun in Sponseller’s hand that he recently purchased and Sponseller’s DNA matches DNA found on the weapon and other evidence at the scene. There were no signs of drugs or alcohol in Sponseller’s system.

Sponseller was found dead in a parking garage below his Columbia office on Feb. 28. An audit found $480,000 missing from his organization’s bank accounts, but also determined Sponseller was not directly linked to the missing money.