Buzzby

Cancer Patient's Suicide Try Leads To Marijuana Operation
AP | San Jose Mercury News | 08/04/2005

LONG BEACH, Calif. - Police responding to a suicide-attempt call in Belmont Heights said they found 96 marijuana plants, a suicide note and a cancer patient with a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head.

The woman's boyfriend, Dennis Paul Figueroa, 39, was arrested Wednesday for investigation of drug possession and domestic violence. The woman, whose note also said she was physically abused by Figueroa, was in critical condition at St. Mary Medical Center.

Figueroa remained in jail with bail set at $100,000.

Police were called to the home around 6 a.m. Wednesday by a 37-year-old woman who told a 911 operator that Figueroa was growing pot in her house to help her with her cancer treatments but he had started dealing, Sgt. Paul LeBaron said.

She apparently shot herself in the head while on the phone with the 911 operator, LeBaron said. Next to her on the bed officers found two wooden boxes with the cremated remains of her two cats, which were featured prominently in photos in the home.

"Her letter indicates that she had been suffering from a long-term illness," LeBaron said. "Apparently he started growing the pot for medicinal purposes, then started dealing."

There was no indication the woman was a medical marijuana patient, the sergeant said. There were no details about her cancer or prognosis.

"Recently, the Narcotics Section, when dealing with medicinal marijuana cases, has been willing to work with people who have documentation for medicinal marijuana. But the sheer size of this operation makes it pretty clear that this was not designed for the use of one woman," LeBaron said.

Besides the sophisticated pot-growing operation in the home, the woman wrote in her note that police could find more information on the drug operation in the trunk of her Mercedes-Benz, which was seized, LeBaron said.

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