Letter To Hazel Park Police Department

I wrote to the Hazel Park Police Department to try and obtain some additional details about how my dad might have died:

My dad, Neal Rott, was found dead in his car on August 12, 2014 at 77 W. Bernhard Avenue. 

I put in a FOIA in September and received a copy of the police report. 

In the police report, there is an interview with the person that supposedly spoke with my dad on the evening of August 11, 2014, and found him unresponsive in the car on August 12, 2014. 

This is the last person who spoke with my dad and saw him alive.     

I have several questions I would like to ask this person.  I am happy to vet the questions through the police department.  I don’t need to directly communicate with this person, as I don’t want their personal information; I would just like to get a better idea of what happened – what he talked to my dad about exactly, how my dad looked when he found him. 

This is the only person that can come close to providing me with answers about my dad’s last hours of life.  I know that I will never fully understand what happened.  But I would like to really get it from the person who last spoke to him.

I also don’t want to traumatize this person.  I myself have never seen a dead body before, so I can only imagine that it was difficult for this person to witness.  If they are too traumatized to reopen this, I understand, but I would be so unbelievably appreciative if I could in some way be put in touch with this person.   

This may sound like an unorthodox request, but I am begging you.  I have been agonizing over the details since it happened.  I know that according to the police report, Officer Jason Pence was the officer dispatched to the scene.  If there is any light he could shed, I would appreciate that, as well.

My dad went missing on August 11, 2014, which was my 29th birthday.  He was found dead in his car on August 12, 2014.  I know I will never have all the answers, but I feel like this is the one link that might be able to provide insight.  

I did receive a very nice call from Jason Pence, who was the detective on scene, and provided some details into how my dad was found and what the scene looked like.  He stated that had he known the Southfield Police Department was going to botch the death notification so badly, he would have delivered the news himself, in person. 

He also stated that he would try and put me in touch with the man I mention in the letter.  That never happened.  But regardless, Jason Pence has been one of the kindest and most supportive that I have encountered on this journey, and for that, I am truly grateful.