Inquest into the Suspected Death of Gordon JAMES
Deceased
Gordon JAMES
Demographics
53y, male
Date of death
1987-07-27
Finding date
2019-11-15
Cause of death
Drowning
AI-generated summary
Gordon James, a 53-year-old retired carpenter, disappeared from Rottnest Island on 27 July 1987 after posting letters indicating his intention to end his life. He had recently been charged with sexual misconduct offences. Evidence established he took a dinghy from Green Island and drowned in the surrounding waters. The coroner found death was established beyond reasonable doubt as suicide. This case, part of a Long-Term Missing Persons Project, highlights the importance of recognising suicidal intent through careful life planning, written communications, and behavioural changes. While this is not a clinical case requiring medical intervention, it underscores the value of thorough investigation in establishing deaths without bodies and the need for compassionate handling of families grieving sudden losses.
AI-generated summary and tagging — may contain inaccuracies; refer to original finding for legal purposes.
Contributing factors
- Recent criminal charges related to sexual misconduct
- Anticipated consequences of pending legal proceedings
- Concerns about quality of life in later years
- Meticulous planning and premeditation of suicide
Full text
Related cases
Source and disclaimer
This page reproduces or summarises information from publicly available findings published by Australian coroners' courts. Coronial is an independent educational resource and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or acting on behalf of any coronial court or government body.
Content may be incomplete, reformatted, or summarised. All court orders for redaction and non-publication are respected; documents with technically defective redaction have been excluded from the database entirely. Always refer to the original court publication for the authoritative record.
Copyright in original materials remains with the relevant government jurisdiction. AI-generated summaries and tagging are for educational purposes only, may contain inaccuracies, and must not be treated as legal documents. We welcome feedback for correction —