The man who killed himself near Nederland on Monday was David Wilcock, an alien researcher, documentarian, writer and regular contributor on the History Channel’s “Ancient Aliens” show. He was 53. Officials are investigating his death.
Wilcock is known for appearing in 81 episodes of “Ancient Aliens,” according to IMDb, an online database that catalogs movie and TV information. He also appeared in 164 episodes of “Cosmic Disclosures,” a show about the secrets of space and extraterrestrials, according to IMDb.
His family said that he killed himself on Monday after a long struggle with depression and “overwhelming financial debt,” according to a statement distributed Thursday by the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office.
Wilcock had garnered more than half a million subscribers to his YouTube channel, where he regularly discussed paranormal and extraterrestrial topics. He last streamed on his YouTube channel on Sunday, the day before his death, for more than three-and-a-half hours.
“Every day that I have on this Earth is a gift and a blessing, and I’m very grateful for that, because, frankly, people are disappearing. Scientists are missing.” Wilcock said during his last livestream. “It’s a little bit scary, I got to say.
On Monday, the U.S. House of Representatives Oversight Committee said it was looking into reports of missing or dead nuclear and rocket scientists in recent years. The FBI also said in a Monday statement that it is looking into 10 such scientists, according to reporting by CNN.
A producer of two documentaries outlining paranormal conspiracy theories, Wilcock made a name for himself in writing and publishing extensively on such topics.
Aside from his documentaries, “Above Majesty” and “Cosmic Secrets,” Wilcock authored or co-authored at least eight books, according to his personal website. One of those books, “The Reincarnation of Edgar Cayce?,” posits that Wilcock may have been the reincarnation of Cayce, who the book describes as a “legendary clairvoyant,” according to publisher Penguin Random House.
Wilcock, born March 8, 1973, in Schenectady, New York, first got interested in the paranormal as a child in Upstate New York, the family wrote. He grew up playing instruments, joining a band and learning about psychology and spirituality.
He later got his bachelor’s degree in psychology at the State University of New York at New Paltz.
Though known for his work as a media personality who talked about UFOs and the paranormal, Wilcock should be remembered as another person just trying to figure out life in the face of struggles, his family said.
“His passing is a reminder of how important it is to meet one another with open minds and compassion in our hearts,” the statement reads. “The loss of a life can turn our focus to our shared humanity, whether we agree on life’s unanswered questions or not.”
The family said there was no foul play in Wilcock’s death, despite some speculation that there has been some form of cover-up, the statement reads.
“His family, and chosen family, hope this loss encourages more focused attention to mental health care access,” the family wrote.
Chris Beskar, CEO of Stavatti Aerospace, where Wilcock was a member of the board of directors, said Wilcock played a role in next-generation aircraft technology and had been with the company since 2019.
“He certainly brought a different insight,” Beskar said. “He was just a great guy to have on the team.”
Wilcock was working on new tanker technology for the U.S. Air Force while at Stavatti, Beskar said. He was also working on a proposal for the Navy to replace the T-45 Goshawk, a training jet, with supersonic technology, Beskar said.
The Air Force did not immediately respond to a request for confirmation.
Wilcock’s work in UFOlogy, the study of unidentified flying objects, was a help to the company, Beskar said.
Wilcock killed himself on Monday, when a Boulder County Sheriff’s deputy saw him shoot himself after pointing a gun at his head around 11:05 a.m., according to a timeline of events in a Thursday Sheriff’s Office news release.
A person who identified themself as Wilcock had called the Boulder County Communications Center at 10:44 a.m., and told dispatchers that “I need to leave,” and spoke of health issues and financial concerns, according to the Thursday release.
As deputies pulled up the driveway, Wilcock told the dispatcher that “I’m sorry to put you through this,” and hung up the phone, the release states.
A deputy ordered Wilcock to put the gun down after hearing one gunshot, before Wilcock was seen shooting himself, according to the release.
He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Deputies searched the home and surrounding property and did not find anyone else.
The Boulder County Coroner’s Office identified him as Wilcock on Thursday morning, according to a release.
The Sheriff’s Office denied a records request for the body-worn camera footage from deputies’ response because “disclosure would be contrary to the public interest.”
Anyone experiencing a mental health crisis should seek support, the Sheriff’s Office said in the release. In Colorado, call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org anytime for free, confidential support. Those who have contacted police can request that a co-responder join first responders to provide in-person support from a mental health professional, according to the release.
This is a developing story and may be updated.