WFMJ.com News weather sports for Youngstown-Warren OhioTrumbull County physician commits suicide minutes after being questioned by drug agents

Trumbull County physician commits suicide minutes after being questioned by drug agents

LIBERTY TOWNSHIP, Ohio - A Trumbull County physician committed suicide approximately 10 minutes after a drug task force questioned him at his Liberty office.

Agents say he was the target of a drug investigation.

It was just after 11:30 a.m. Monday morning when Liberty police received a 911 call that 42-year-old, Dr. Nicholas DePizzo shot and killed himself at his Belmont Avenue office.

A Liberty police report says Dr. Nicholas DePizzo shot himself inside his family practice office located at 4991 Belmont Avenue on Monday.

The Trumbull County Coroner, Dr. Humphrey Germaniuk, tells 21 News, he signed Dr. DePizzo's death certificate on April 19th, certifying that the cause of death was suicide as the result of a gunshot wound to the head.

Lieutenant Jeff Orr, the commander of TAG or the Trumbull - Ashtabula Group Law Enforcement Task Force, tells 21 News, "We were following up on an investigation that deals with drugs, and we did talk to and interview Dr. Nicholas DePi zzo. He was the target of the investigation. No other doctors or medical offices are a part of this investigation."

An unnamed source tells us that TAG was seeking charges against the doctor, including a possible indictment. But the source does not know the exact nature of any possible charges against the doctor.

The TAG commander would not confirm that information, but did say, "The investigation continues, and we are waiting for the results of toxicology tests on Dr. DePizzo."

The TAG Commander said that Dr. DePizzo had no criminal record.