The Elko District Attorney’s office formaly closed the case concerning the tragic suicide of West Wendover Detective Donald Burnum last week said Elko Detective Nick Czegledi.
Burnum’s body was discovered outside the city limits south of Wendover near US 93 on July 3rd.
A 23 year veteran of the West Wendover Police Department Burnum began as a patrolman and worked his way up to become the lead detective of the department.
Burnum played a crucial role in the arrests and convictions of teenage killers Cody Patten and Toni Fratto for the murder Mickie Costanzo.
According to police reports no foul play is suspected and the investigation is being handle by the Elko Sheriff’s Department.
According to investigators Burnum displayed no obvious signs of depression or emotional distress in the days leading up to his death. He left no note and no easy to find text message or e-mail to explain his actions.
That finding was vigorously disputed by Burnum’s family members.
“Our family is aware that calls were made within days before Donald’s death to WWPD. The chief as well as the city manager have been contacted about the situation and asked what steps were taken after the calls were made. The city has refused to speak with us any further on the matter,” wrote Burnum’s sister Lyssa Thompson in a prepared statement to the Advocate. “As a member of the community I feel that after such notification there is a duty to protect the officer involved, the police department and the community seeing as a officer carries a firearm and has been reported unstable. We would like to see a protocol put in place so that if faced with the situation, action would be taken to get the officer help, to take steps to assure safety and to possibly save a life.”
The family have reportedly retained an Elko attorney Barbara Gallergher
There was however one clue that could indicate all was not well with Detective Burnum. On the Tuesday following his death the High Desert Advocate publisher Howard Copelan received a telephone call from a woman identifying herself as Rebecca Peacock of Salt Lake City.
After confirming Burnum death the woman related that she saw Burnum less than a week before as he was investigating the Malorrie Morgan alleged murder.
“It was a bit surreal,” said Copelan. “I knew the case was closed in May but this woman was insisting that Burnum visited her a week before he died in full uniform for what turned out to be the last of three interviews. At first I thought I was wrong she was so insistent. but in the course of our conversation I discovered she did not know the coroner Detective Sergeant Nicholas S. Czegledi or the report from the two state medical examiners Dr. Ellen G. I. Clark, M.D. and Piotr Kubiczek, M.D. I told her to contact Detective Czegledi.”
Morgan, 29, of Taylorsville Utah was found dead in her hotel room at the Montego Bay Casino/Resort the morning of February 3rd.
While no signs of foul play have been discovered several bloggers identifying themselves as relatives of the dead woman have all but alleged Morgan’s death was no accident.
After the Nevada Medical Examiners ruled that a Utah woman’s death in a Wendover Hotel room was drug related related the case was officially closed in May.
“The 29 year old Caucasian female, Malarie Morgan, died due to mixed drug toxicity due to oxycodone, hydrocodone, and diazepam,” wrote Czegledi in a press release. “This is the opinion of the medical examiners Dr. Ellen G. I. Clark, M.D. and Piotr Kubiczek, M.D.”
“There was simply not enough evidence to merit a charge let alone a conviction for murder,” Czegledi said.
His assessment of the case was echoed by West Wendover Police Chief Burdel Welsh and by WWPD Lt. Donald Lininger. Both of whom expressed surprise that Burnum was still investigating the case.
“It was not unusual for Detective Burnum to go two times a week to Salt Lake for investigations,” Lininger said. “But he didn’t inform anyone he was still working that case. The case was closed there was not enough evidence for a charge.”
Peacock related however that Burnum was most encouraging telling her that every piece of evidence she provided would help the district attorney press charges.
“Listen sometimes a cop will make an appeasement meeting with crime victims,” Czegledi said. “Shows we care. This doesn’t sound like that. Maybe this could have been a sign that something was the matter with Detective Burnum.”
“I hold Donald in the highest regard. He always presented himself as a professional. A Detective that stood for truth and justice and was committed to protect and serve. He was doing his job with honesty and integrity.” Peacock wrote in an e mail this Wednesday. “From the beginning he presented himself as a man that was educated, experienced, trustworthy and dedicated! My perception of Donald was one of a man that was strong, balanced, compassionate and caring! A dedicated Detective, soft spoken with his words, at the same time very accurate with his delivery. A man of his word! A man I considered my friend!” 
First of all, I would like to point out that, as stipulated in the final pages of lead officer Cory Talor and I quote from his police roport on the case and case number:Deputy Report for Case 15EL01092
Supplement
ELKO COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE
OFFICER REPORT
OFFICER DECLARATION
I hereby cesti£y that 1 am a law enforcement officer, employed by the Elko County Sheriff’s Office, and that I am one of the officers investigating or aware of the facts described in the reports and statements attached hereto. I hereby affirm under pain and penalty of perjury that the facts set out in the reports and statements attached hereto are true to the best of my knowledge, information, and belief except as otherwise noted therein.
Lead Officer; Taylor, Cory
Date of Declaration 07/04/201S
As given in an e-mail by myself to Howard Copeland shortly after recieving its release: It is obviously stated in the police report that Peacock was on the phone with Burnum as he commited his most unspeakable act:
I have no motive in reporting this, even in the face of my family’s lawsuite against whom ever they can find. Of which I would like to report I have no participation in and am discusted by as well as I am with this newspaper report. Of which, regardless of being reoprted to the advocate by myself emmideiately following its release to me that Peakock was not only in a relationship with my brother along with Catherine Petro were on the phone with my brother as he was begging for help of which he recieved none:
Deputy Supplemental Report Case 15EL01092 Page 3 of 4
Supplement
On July 6, 2015 1 retrieved the coroner ‘B report and associated unattended death report regarding this case on Donald Bur-num who was a West Wendover Police Department Detective Sergeant . {See attached reports) I would note that Burnum was prescribed numerous anti-depressants, pain medications, muscle relaxers, sedatives and high blood pressure medication. It was also insinuated during the course of this investigation that Burnum may have had an alcohol problem.
Upon reviewing the report I did note that Burnum was found just outside of the city limits of which he served. Bur-num appeared to have shot himself in the mouth with a Glock .45 ACP pistol.
On July 6, 201S I (Det. Sgt. N. S. Czegledi) took the cell phone found on the lap of the deceased and requested that Dee. Zack Hessing of the Elko Police Departmeht extract the data from within the phone. I advised Det. Hessing that the cell phone belonged to the deceased in this case and a search warrant was not because the expectation of privacy ceased at death.
On or about July 7, 2015 Det. Hessing called and advised that the cell phone was ready and he had moved the data to a coQact disk. I reviewed the text messages near the time reported time of death and observed that Burnum was having a conversation with a person by the name of Shannon (later identified as Shannon J. Baker who is a dispatcher for West Wendover Police Department) . The text conversation was clearly a goodbye from Burnum to Shannon. Burnum concludes the conversation with: Send the coroner; Goodbye Shannon forever; goodbye Panda.
On July 9, 2015 1 interviewed Shannon on the phone. Shannon stated she started dating Burnum about eight months ago but it didn’t work out because he was living with another female by the name of Cat Petro. Shannon stated that Burnum had told her that he did not have a relationship with Cat Petro and that she was only a rooümate but said she believed otherwise and called off the relationship and started dating someone else.
Shannon went onto to state that Burnum had previously quit drinking but started up about a week before his death.
Shannon said that on the date of Burnum r s death she had just left work and spoke to Bur-num on the phone for about ten minutes (confirmed according to call log) .
I asked Shannon if Burnum had a “nickname tt for her and she said yes, Panda. I would note that Bur-num’s last message to Shannon was, “goodbye panda a .
At this time there is no evidence of criminality in the death of Burnum and there is clear and convincing evidence to believe this is a suicide by self—inflicted gunshot wound to the head.
End of report.
Donald’s story should be told. It was my brother who died. Along with all the rest that are failed to be metioned by this report that once belonged to West Wendover. So many suicides and the truth will come out. Regarless of my parents, my sisster, Howard Copland, or the town of West Wendover.
And as reported I am not Schizophrenic but ShcizoAffective. There’s a difference.
Kurt Burnum
Deputy Supplemental Report for Case 15EL01092 Page 3 of 3
Supplement
Approximately a week after Burnum’s death I spoke with a Rebecca Peacock who stated that Donald Burnum was still investigating Malarie Morgan’s death (CIS-0007) that occurred earlier in the year. Ms. Peacock also insinuated that there may be a connection between Morgan’s death and Burnum’s death; however, Peacock did not have any evidence to substantiate that claim. Ms. Peacock did state that she had been recently interviewed by Burnum several times just prior to his death.
I told Ms. Peacock that the coroner’s investigation of Ms. Morgan had been closed and ruled an accidental death via multiple drug toxicity and that to the best of my knowledge the West Wendover Police Department had closed their case .
I advised Ms . Peacock that any criminal investigation regarding Morgan would have to be conducted by the West Wendover Police Department .
Based upon speaking with Ms. Peacock I surmised that Burnum was just listening to what Ms. Peacock had to say regarding the death of Malarie; however, I don’t suspect there was much Burnum could do with the case given what Ms. Peacock was stating.
On 07/22/2015 1 spoke with Lt. Donald Lininger of the West Wendover Police Department . I asked him if Malarie Morgan’s case was still open and Lt. Lininger stated the case was closed. Lt. Lininger seemed to be of the same opinion as me that Burnum was just listening to what Ms. Peacock had to say.
I would note that during the investigation of Burnum’s death that no alerting circumstances regarding any ties to Morgan’s death were found other than what was alluded to by Ms. Peacock.
Case closed.