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News & Features
From the Idyllwild Town Crier weekly newspaper, 01.29.09 edition.
Benefactor a possible suicide
By J.P. Crumrine, News
Editor
According to a Riverside County Sheriff’s Department press release,
Senior Investigator Kevin Duffy, 51, appeared to have committed suicide
Saturday night.
Duffy had been on administrative leave from the department since Jan.
15, 2009, and was the focus of an ongoing criminal investigation. Due
to the investigation, no further information was available for release.
Duffy, as founder of the Sheriff’s Activities League (SAL), played a
large role in helping Idyllwild construct the Skate Park. The trophy
for the winner of the annual summer competition between Idyllwild and
Hemet skaters is named in his honor — the Duffy Cup.
“Together, [Duffy and Paul Schlenz, executive director of Idyllwild
Pines Camp] brought the idea of a Skate Park to Idyllwild. Kevin helped
us every step of the way with the Skate Park,” said Chris Singer, chair
of the Idyllwild Community Recreation Council that built and manages
the park. “To this day, he continued to make sure SAL covered the
insurance on the park and brought kids up from Nuevo and Hemet to
participate in our big skate day.”
At about 1:30 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 25, 2009, the Hemet Police Department
notified the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department that it was
conducting an apparent suicide investigation. The individual the Hemet
Police located was identified as Duffy, of Hemet. He had been employed
with the Sheriff’s Department since 1982, most recently assigned to the
Hemet Station.
Hemet police found the body at Motel 6, in the 3800 block of West
Florida Avenue. They had been summoned by a call from a maid cleaning
rooms.
Idyllwild residents were stunned and shocked with the news. Through the
SAL, Duffy has done a lot for children in Idyllwild and elsewhere in
the county.
“He was a sweet guy and instrumental in getting the Skate Park,” said
Pete Capparelli, County Service Area 36 Advisory Committee chair.
“Every time we got together, it was always good stuff,” said James
Campbell, Idyllwild recreation director. “We had just completed a new
agreement and insurance for the Skate Park. He was always upbeat and
positive.”
Kevin Duffy
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