Those in and close to the state auditor’s office have suffered another emotional blow this week with the death of its communications director, Spence Jackson.
Jefferson City Police say it appears he committed suicide in his apartment just over a month after his boss, auditor Tom Schweich, committed suicide at his home in Clayton.
Deputy Auditor Harry Otto says Jackson was hit as hard as anyone by Schweich’s death.
“He was very emotional initially and at the funeral, and expressed his feelings, but he went right back to work and I didn’t notice that he had really missed a step,” Otto told Missourinet from vacation out-of-state, which is where he was when he heard about Jackson’s death Sunday evening.
Asked how he’s coping, Otto became emotional but told Missourinet, “I have faith, I have family, and I have friends. It gets you through.”
He said he spoke to Jackson before leaving the state last week.
“I think I stopped by his office a couple of times and said, ‘Hello,’ and didn’t notice anything out of the ordinary,” said Otto.
“Spence was a fun guy and he was a fun guy to work with,” Otto said, again struggling to keep his composure. “He was very professional.”
Otto did not want to speculate about the circumstances behind Jackson’s death.
Video: Jefferson City police on the investigation of Jackson’s death
Earlier stories:
Tom Schweich spokesman Spence Jackson found dead
Police investigating death of former Schweich spokesman as a suicide
Despite controversy, Tom Schweich spokesman’s death to be investigated like any other