A man who died shortly after being charged for entering the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, committed suicide, according to a police report obtained by The Epoch Times.
Deputies went to a home on Aug. 28 “in regard to a suicide,” a Duchesne County Sheriff’s Office deputy wrote in the report.
Mr. Meacham’s father told deputies that he tried calling his son several times and that when there was no answer, he went to the house. Mr. Meacham’s father said he heard his son gasping inside and forced the door open. He found his son lying on the floor with an apparently self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head.
Deputies went into the house and saw Mr. Meacham face down in a growing pool of blood by a table. They observed an entry wound above his right ear. Mr. Meacham “was taken [sic] gasping breaths with a large pause in between,” a deputy wrote. Deputies saw a gun near Mr. Meacham that appeared to be a model 1911.
Deputies detected a pulse and a heartbeat before medical personnel arrived. They helped roll Mr. Meacham over.
A LifeFlight arrived and helped render assistance to Mr. Meacham, but he died at 9:20 p.m., according to the report.
The report was labeled “Nejourde Meacham suicide.”
Mr. Meacham’s mother and lawyer haven’t responded to requests for comment.
Charges
Mr. Meacham was arrested earlier in August on four misdemeanor charges, including knowingly entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds without lawful authority to do so.According to surveillance footage and other video recorded inside the U.S. Capitol, he entered the building on Jan. 6, 2021. He was carrying a flag indicating support for then-President Donald Trump.
He spent about nine minutes inside before being escorted out by law enforcement officers, the footage shows.
Mr. Meacham wasn’t accused of carrying out any violence.
On Aug. 15, he appeared by video in front of a federal judge, after which he was released on his own recognizance.
His arraignment was scheduled for Sept. 11.
Prosecutors mentioned the police report in a Sept. 1 filing that asked a federal judge to dismiss the charges because the defendant had passed away.
Prosecutors have since filed a redacted death certificate stating that Mr. Meacham died on Aug. 28. The certificate states that an autopsy was performed. It said the cause of death was a gunshot wound to the head. The manner of death and how the injury that killed him occurred were redacted.
The Duchesne County Sheriff’s Office stated that it didn’t yet have a copy of Mr. Meacham’s autopsy report.
Obituary
Family members said in an obituary that Mr. Meacham worked on his family’s ranch and enjoyed outdoor activities, including hunting, fishing, and riding horses.“He was a big history buff and was a good cook—soup being his specialty. Listening to music was a big part of his life and young kids were drawn to him,” relatives wrote.
Mr. Meacham spent summers working at a fishery in Alaska and made many friends there, they said.
Among the relatives surviving Mr. Meacham are his parents and nine siblings.
Kelli Meacham, the deceased’s mother, posted details of his Sept. 2 funeral and said all were welcome.
“We really appreciate all of the support we are receiving,” she wrote on Facebook.
Uncle Also Charged
Odin Meacham, Mr. Meacham’s uncle, has also been charged related to the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol breach.FBI agents said they interviewed Mr. Odin Meacham on May 16 and that during the interview, he said he traveled to Washington on Jan. 6, 2021, with his nephew.
He said they became separated as they approached the Capitol.
Mr. Nejourde Meacham told investigators the following day that he did go to the Capitol but that he did not enter the building, according to a court filing.
Mr. Odin Meacham faces several counts, including assaulting, resisting, or impeding officers. According to video footage from the scene, he struck officers with a large wooden pole as they clashed with protesters. He was also seen throwing a metal pole at officers.
He later shouted at the crowd to “lean in” as they approached officers and tried to grab a baton from one of the officers.
Mr. Odin Meacham hasn’t been accused of entering the Capitol building. He has pleaded not guilty and has been released on personal recognizance pending trial.
