A friend informed me that the Los Angeles Police Department has not ruled out foul play in the apparent suicide of Elliott Smith.

There's a follow-up story too.

A couple of weeks ago, I wrote about my happy discovery of Smith's magnificent Figure 8. Then, Alex wrote about Smith's eponymous album. I bought it with a Christmas gift certificate. I like it very much; very, very much, but I can now say that I was confirmed in my suspicion that I would be among the minority who find his later, much more lush studio album more wholly satisfying.

I hope the investigation into his death leads to the truth. It's terrible enough that he's dead; worse if he was murdered.