Dennis Derr, a sexual assault detective from the Los Angeles Police Department, committed suicide after being accused of allegations of molesting two of his relatives.
Suicide
Derr, 52, was found dead on Thanksgiving in his car in the parking lot of a Wal-Mart in Palmdale. The cause of death appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Derr was a 17-year veteran of the LAPD. He had been a sexual assault detective since 2006. He worked in the Van Nuys division on a team that handled sexual assault cases.
Allegations of Sexual Assault
Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Special Victims Bureau sergeant Brian Hudson confirmed that two adults made sexual abuse allegations against Derr. According to the report, the alleged sexual abuse had occurred when the two adults were teenagers. One of the adults alleged he had been abused repeatedly. The other adult could only recall one instance of abuse that had occurred a few years ago, said Derr’s son, Philip.
Upon hearing of the allegations, Derr’s wife left the family home. The next morning, on November 27, Derr sent an email to family members. In it he denied “sexual failures” and also alluded to a plan to kill himself. His body was later discovered.
Working with an Assault Defense Attorney
If you have been wrongly accused of a sexual crime, you need to immediately contact a defense attorney that can help you defend yourself. An attorney will launch an investigation into the allegations in order to build a case and help you regain your reputation.
Source: NBC Los Angeles, LAPD Sexual Assault Detective Committed Suicide Over Child Molestation Allegations: Report, December 6, 2014
