Coronial
TASother

Coroner's Finding: Nicholson, Dale Waverley

Deceased

Dale Waverley Nicholson

Demographics

61y, male

Date of death

2016-12-10

Finding date

2021-11-25

Cause of death

Unknown

AI-generated summary

Dale Waverley Nicholson, a 61-year-old man with a history of depression, alcohol and cannabis use, and a previous suicide attempt in 2012, disappeared from his home in New Norfolk, Tasmania on 10 December 2016. Despite extensive searches and comprehensive inquiries across multiple Australian agencies, no trace of him has been found. The coroner concluded he is deceased but was unable to determine the cause or circumstances of death. While suicide, homicide, natural causes, or misadventure remain possibilities, insufficient evidence exists to establish which. The case highlights challenges in death investigation when remains are not recovered and underscores the importance of mental health support and monitoring in individuals with depression and prior suicide attempts.

AI-generated summary and tagging — may contain inaccuracies; refer to original finding for legal purposes.

Contributing factors

  • History of depression
  • History of alcohol abuse
  • History of cannabis use
  • Prior suicide attempt in 2012
  • Living alone with limited social contact
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