A Suicide, Not Homicide Says The Powers That Be: MSO

Now, I am not a crime scene analyst by any means, which makes this story even worse, I am a psychotherapist. I'm appalled at todays Herald front page about the Manatee Sheriff's Office and the investigation, if that's what we will call it, and the Mullins family. Oh, and Detective Davis. Here we go again with police bloopers and blunders. Many years ago, when Mrs. Mullins was teaching her student Mr. Davis, that very same river was being used to drug run. You may want to read the various books on the subject, Detective Davis. I cannot confirm this, but one would think that, with Homeland Security, drug runners have to go back to the old way of doing things. Had it never once occurred to the entire MSO, including the Chief, that appeases families, not investigates crimes, that Mr. Mullins ran in to a drug runner that was counting on no one being there. Perhaps you should read some news article on how many people are killed, assaulted, or just disappear on our west coast of the US. Do you really believe that it is just contained to that area? Blood and tissue splatter had to be on the boat, unless the victim was Houdini. And for the Chief to send an email stating that we will look for "a needle in a haystack" concerning the firearm. That should have been looked for on day 2 or so. And on eBay, you will find underwater metal detectors. Last time I looked, rifles are made of metal. Obviously, before they left for that dive trip, they already had drawn a conclusion. 
With all due respect, Detective Davis, you need to keep your professional life and personal feelings, apart. If you put half as much "heart" in to your work, as you did the letter to your former teacher (the victims wife), we may have a lot less unsolved homicides. It's unfortunate that your office was reminded of this on another similar case. And with all due respect, if this was any of the family of any MSO, they would track the killer like a blood hound. It would be very publicized. In addition, for MSO to get offended at a grieving family, for asking questions. Mrs. Mullins was right on the mark when she said that it appeared the meeting was more about your office controlling your victims family. You should be ashamed of yourself. Then Detective Davis calls the family after the newspaper article, that should be consider intimidation. 
Last, but I'm sure not the end of these reports. The department does not give the family the cause of death. That was not important to your office, but was important to the family. It is apparent the medical examiner was surprised that the Sheriff's office did not call the family and let them know how their loved one died. It was just another issue that did not matter to Davis, or any of the table of people involved with the five family members that were given permission to enter the conference room with the grieving family. 
I guess now we have another situation where the Manatee Sheriff's Office has closed tight a case that has to be "granted" by the powers that be, to reopen it. If that is the case, Mrs. Mullins should do what she has to do to keep this in the public eye. Hopefully, one day, we will not have to fight for victims rights. We will not have to be "afraid" of the very people that are supposed to protect us. And most of all, hopefully, your office will "not really close" this case but "really reopen" it as a homicide. And maybe one day, your office can promptly admit their wrongs instead of "appeasing" the pain in the neck, grieving widow, in hopes that no one will get wind of another botched investigation.