Scientology foe's notes shed light on suicide

CLEARWATER — Shawn Lonsdale, who carried on a one-man crusade against Scientology in 2006, was "sick, depressed, broke and tired of it all" when he took his life in February, according to a suicide note released Friday.

Police discovered him on Feb. 16, a garden hose stretching from the exhaust pipe of his car into a window of his home at 510 N Lincoln Ave.

Online speculation coursed through anti-Scientology circles that he did not kill himself. On Friday, however, police officially ruled his death a suicide.

The notes Lonsdale, 39, left — apologetic in parts, heartbroken throughout — shed light on what transformed someone with no affiliation to Scientology into a sworn enemy.

In a note to a friend, Lonsdale wrote that years ago he was diagnosed with hepatitis B and C. Because of "stupid acts" in his past, he was convinced he'd never love or live with a woman.

"So I decided to try to use this time to make a difference and shed some light on the B.S. going on here with Scientology!" he wrote. "I hope I helped if even a little."

He did, said attorney Luke Lirot, who represented Lonsdale in his tangles with Scientology.

"He stuck to his beliefs to the end, and I don't think you can ask any more of a human being under these circumstances," Lirot said.

For a few months in 2006, Lonsdale stood beside a sandwich board that read "Cult Watch" near Scientology's headquarters in downtown Clearwater.

He videotaped hours of footage: Scientology buildings, church staffers walking the streets, security guards watching him. He edited them into a "pseudo-documentary" for local cable TV.

The church and some of its members hired a private investigator to look into his background and found two misdemeanor convictions for lewd and lascivious conduct, both related to sex with men, in 1999 and 2000.

Anonymous calls put pressure on Lonsdale's employer and landlord, making it difficult for him to hold a job.

Comments on this article

by AnonMomAnon	May 6, 2008 9:12 AM
rest in peace, Shawn. you will never be forgotten. his name was Shawn Lonsdale. his name was Shawn Lonsdale. his name was Shawn Lonsdale. THIS IS WHY WE ARE LEGION i also want to thank jon able for his thorough coverage of Shawn's death.

by Quentin	May 5, 2008 2:57 PM
L. Ron Hubbard said, "Never fear to hurt another in a just cause" and brainwashed members use that to justify any vicious act. That is not the practice of a religion, that is the practice of a terrorist group.

by Andreas	May 5, 2008 2:32 PM
Lonsdale was never a Scientologist and his death had nothing to do with them. But have fun lying.

by Leo	May 5, 2008 2:08 PM
David, I don't know what facts your talking about, but as a 20 year retired CPD officer I can assure you there are no ties between CPD and the Scientologists. They are treated no differently than any one else. Get your facts straight b 4 spoutin

by P S Riddick	May 5, 2008 1:33 PM
Scientology defamed him by publicly saying things such as him being evicted, when his original landlord confimred he was a good payer - UNTIL Scientologists bought the property to get rid of him.

by Anonymous	May 5, 2008 1:20 PM
RIP Shawn! We will finish what you started. We DO NOT Forgive, We DO NOT Forget, Expect us.

by Tom	May 5, 2008 12:22 PM
I really believe that he wasn't murdered. It's disgusting that such a corrupt organization can hold a campaign to drive an innocent man to suicide. And they get away with it too - all under the tax exempt status of being a "religi

by john	May 5, 2008 10:20 AM
CULT WATCHES are starting up all over the world in memory of shawn

by Mike	May 5, 2008 10:19 AM
Cult of $cientology will fail. Anonymous is the only cure.

by pseudomouse	May 5, 2008 9:26 AM
Don't forget to mention how the Co$ used those misdemeanors against him.

by Victoria	May 5, 2008 9:13 AM
Rest easy, Shawn. We will not forgive those who made things difficult for you. We will not forget you.

by Anónimo	May 5, 2008 9:12 AM
RIP Your work was not in vain Your death inspired thousands Não morreste em vão Inspiraste milhares

by randomx	May 4, 2008 11:38 PM
Scientology leaves nothing but a trail of destruction in its wake. The evidence is quite clear. Picket your local org on May 10th. You will not be alone...like Shawn was.

by Alejandra	May 4, 2008 12:31 PM
If you believe he killed himself, I've got a bridge I'd love to sell you.

by Sean	May 4, 2008 12:25 PM
Was the part, "The church and some of its members hired a private investigator to look into his background and found two misdemeanor convictions for lewd and lascivious conduct, both related to sex with men, in 1999 and 2000.", really neces

by Bob Newhart	May 4, 2008 12:09 PM
Just to clarify: The wonderful kids of the internet group "Anonymous" were not the ones making calls to Shawns employer and landlord as the writer may/may not be implying in that last sentence. Your sublety does not go unnoticed Mr. Abel.

by DamOTclese	May 4, 2008 12:06 PM
I don't believe one word of it. I think that Scientology murdered Shawn, just like they murdered Lisa McPherson and so many others. Scientology's ship "Deathwinds" contains asbestos and the crooke _knew_ and didn't care �

by nonni	May 4, 2008 11:57 AM
Bless the man, he was only trying to do what is right - expose the horrors of that crime syndicate Cult of Scientology. Truly scary stuff. Readers, please beware lest you be caught in their web of brainwashing.

by Rebar	May 4, 2008 11:52 AM
It's a shame. It sounds like he used the last years well.

by Patrick	May 4, 2008 11:49 AM
"The church [...]hired a private investigator." Now remind me again, how many churches hire PIs to spy on its critics? Or, how many Tom Davis's does it take to practise the Fair Game Policy? Google "Fair Game Policy," then

by Brad	May 4, 2008 11:46 AM
Sure the sci-fi's had NOTHING to do with it. Yeah, I believe that.

by Andreas	May 4, 2008 11:43 AM
Rest in peace, Shawn. You made a difference. Love.

by Ann	May 4, 2008 11:41 AM
I think you will find that there was a little more going on that pressure on his employer and landlord. He was harrassed relentlessly. See BBC Panorama's 'Scientology and Me' for some filmed evidence of how this happened. They ruined h

by David	May 4, 2008 11:41 AM
Aaaaah, well, ok! So Scientology didnt kill him, they just pushed him to the point were he killed himself. Classy. Either way, its a wide known fact that CWPD has strong ties to the church, so their investigation can be compromised as well.

by Beth	May 4, 2008 11:40 AM
R.I.P., Shawn.

by Anonymous	May 4, 2008 11:40 AM
RIP Shawn, you were a hero, and now you're an hero to us all.

by Christine	May 4, 2008 11:39 AM
So he "killed himself" in February and this so-called suicide note is just being released now? Months later? Something doesn't smell right.

by Anonymous	May 4, 2008 11:39 AM
How are the misdemeanors related to the story, anyway? Doesn't make sense to me. In any case, RIP Shawn.

by Anne	May 3, 2008 1:14 PM
How terribly tragic. To think that a so-called "religion" can wreck a man's life and drive him to suicide because he had the decency to speak out about its crimes. How proud he would be of Anonymous and all the critics who now

by David	May 3, 2008 1:04 PM
Shawn was one of the many critics of Scientology, and will certainly be remembered. It's remarkable suspicious and unlikely that he would commit suicide just after a worldwide movement started against Scientology.

by Lilly	May 3, 2008 1:04 PM
It's a shame that Scientology dug up dirt on Shawn, and then pressured his employer and landlord. This is part of Scientology's official "Fair Game" policy, in which members are told they can harass and even "destroy" cr

by Henk	May 3, 2008 1:04 PM
I wish Shawn could have seen the amazing stuff that has been happening since January. Maybe that might have picked him up, even in sickness. Rest in peace.

by Rob	May 3, 2008 1:04 PM
Well, I wonder if all the PIs and OSA ops on poor Shawn feel justified and happy now that they pushed a lone, brave Shawn into suicide? Poor choice of words here, "Anonymous calls put pressure on Lonsdale's employer..." Anonymous r

by Anonymous	May 3, 2008 1:02 PM
Shawn Lonsdale: we do not forget. we'll finish the job for you. RIP.

by bob	May 3, 2008 1:01 PM
Sometimes perception of life finds only darkness sadly, thanks for your activism and rest in peace Mark, you will be missed.