(Cupventi.com) – South Carolina authorities have disclosed the cause of death for Stanley Kotowski, a 60-year-old man from Massachusetts who disappeared during a family vacation in Hilton Head. Kotowski, who had been battling insomnia and anxiety, left his vacation rental on August 16 and was missing for ten days before his body was discovered beneath a nearby Sea Pines residence.
The Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office located Kotowski’s remains on Monday after an extensive search. On Tuesday, the Beaufort County Coroner, David Ott, determined that Kotowski died by asphyxiation due to hanging, ruling the death a suicide.
Lieutenant Eric Calendine of the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office explained during a press conference that Sea Pines security, in coordination with the sheriff’s office, found Kotowski’s body after detecting a foul odor and noticing an unusual number of flies around the area. The security officer contacted the sheriff’s office, leading to a search of the building. The body was eventually located in a crawl space beneath the house, accessible through a hatch near an outdoor shower.
Surveillance footage from a Ring doorbell camera, released over the weekend, shows Kotowski leaving his family’s rental home on South Sea Pines Drive the morning he disappeared. The video captures him barefoot and appearing disoriented as he pauses in the middle of the street, looking around before continuing on. His wife, Jackie Kotowski, told local news that her husband had been suffering from severe insomnia and worsening anxiety, which led to increased paranoia.
According to a Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office report, Jackie shared that Stanley believed Sea Pines was part of a conspiracy against him. Before leaving the rental, Stanley reportedly told his wife, “Promise me you will go on without me.”
In a heartfelt Facebook post on Monday, Jackie announced the tragic news of her husband’s death, expressing profound grief and thanking everyone who supported and participated in the search efforts.
Authorities commended the local community for their involvement in the search, noting that even out-of-state property owners allowed their residences to be searched for signs of Kotowski.