Phil Pagano - R.I.P.

For newspapers that don't cover suicides, the Northwest Herald and the Daily Herald are sure all over Phil Pagano's death on the Metra tracks in the Crystal Lake area this morning.

Why were some of the roads into an area near Pagano's home blocked off late yesterday afternoon?Was he depressed yesterday? Despondent? Suicidal? Or was it just a coincidence that sheriff's deputies were in the area on a call at a different residence? Were Crisis-Intervention-Trained deputies involved yesterday, if the call was to Pagano's home?

Would I be despondent if James Sotos was hot on my trail and talking about me on WGN radio last Saturday?

And if Pagano's death this morning was a suicide, as suggested by Sheriff Nygren, maybe it was a way to assure his family of death benefits from his probably-substantial package of benefits as Executive Director of Metra. Those benefits might have ceased, had he been alive at the conclusion of the Metra Board's special meeting that was scheduled this morning.

The investigation should continue in-depth, and the whole story (not just involving Pagano) should be revealed to the public.