Police search for motive in apparent suicide

They remain baffled, however, about his motives and stressed nothing criminal had been discovered by Tuesday evening.

"I'm really not finding any indication of foul play at this point in the investigation," said Sgt. Sal Celi of the University of Arizona Police Department.

"I've had no indications of instability and no indications of suicide attempts in the past," he added. "He appears to have been a stable 22-year-old male."

While police did not know why Matthew Whaley, of Boston, allegedly committed suicide behind a University of Arizona residence hall Saturday, Celi said the police investigation will continue only until detectives are satisfied nothing criminal occurred.

"Our primary job is to make sure there was no foul play involved," Celi said, adding he would wait for blood and urine reports from the Pima County Medical Examiner.

These reports will indicate whether Whaley was under the influence of legal or illegal substances at the time of his death.

He would not speculate when those reports would be returned.

Whaley apparently used a .38-caliber Smith & Wesson semiautomatic handgun on himself at about 10:45 a.m. in the alley behind Maricopa Residence Hall, 1031 E. North Campus Drive, Celi said.

He added already-complete official autopsy reports pointed toward a self-inflicted wound.

A witness told police he dropped off his long-time girlfriend at the hall shortly before his death and, according to Celi, his girlfriend knew about the weapon.

"He's had the gun for several months," Celi said, adding university police are trying to track the alleged suicide weapon.

"Assuming that everything was done properly, we will be able to track the serial number on the gun," he added, "but sometimes, guns change hands in a manner that is not necessarily documented."

Celi said he remained puzzled about the case.

"The only angle I could think of was why," he said. "We don't have a substantial reason why a 22-year-old male with apparently few problems would do this."