Stanley Kotowski found dead on vacation on Hilton Head – suicide

The Massachusetts father who was found dead Monday during a family vacation on Hilton Head Island committed suicide, officials said.

Stanley Kotowski, 60, hanged himself “under” a house near the rental property from which he disappeared Aug. 16 during a mental health crisis, Beaufort County Coroner David Ott said at a news conference Tuesday.

“We assume that the day he died is the day he disappeared,” Ott said.

Police did not release details of Kotowski's death, but said the father used a “device” to cut off the oxygen supply.

Ott declined to elaborate, saying, “It's definitely asphyxiation, but there's no other word for it than hanging. Unfortunately, people think hanging means you have to rope yourself to the ceiling and fall down. That's definitely not the case.”

According to police, Kotowski suffered from paranoia in the days before his disappearance and even sought medical help before and during the family vacation.

Officials also explained why an extensive manhunt involving dog squads, drones and door-to-door canvassing over eleven days was necessary to find the missing man.

Kotowski apparently discovered a small hatch near the outdoor shower of a neighboring villa that served as access to a crawl space.

Search and rescue crews had attempted to enter the crawl space during previous searches but were unable to get through, Beaufort County Sheriff PJ Tanner said.

“After I had the opportunity to check the location of the body, I fully understood why it was not found [sooner]until there was evidence that led us in that direction,” Tanner said.

Kotowski's body was found on Monday near the vacation home in Sea Pines where he was vacationing with his family.

“Over the last month he has struggled with severe insomnia and has become increasingly anxious,” his wife Jackie wrote on Facebook.

“Stan became paranoid and thought that people, including the authorities, were following him.”

During the family trip, Kotowski was afraid of the sea because she would be “exposed to the sun, jellyfish and sharks,” she noted.

The Ring camera footage from August 16 shows Kotowski walking barefoot out of the apartment building's front door onto the street.

In the video, he appeared confused – at one point he stopped in the middle of the street and looked around before moving on.

If you are struggling with suicidal thoughts, you can call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline 24 hours a day at 988 or visit SuicidePreventionLifeline.org.