Numerous Photographs of Him Were Recovered From His Body

 18 Years Ago Today

Sunday 11th of January 2004
Writer Spalding Rockwell Gray commits suicide by drowning at the age of 63 in East River, New York City, New York, United States.
It is believed that Gray jumped off the side of the Staten Island Ferry. 

He was rushed to the Royal Jamaica Hospital in Jamaica and died about a week later in the hospital. Numerous photographs of him were recovered from his body, including a picture of his son's wedding ring, which he wore during his first year of law school. This story went viral on the Internet. Avery's body is in the Archives of Criminal Justice of the State of New York. Avery was a leading authority on the prosecution of New York's murder cases. The case is currently awaiting prosecution and a jury has yet to be convened. Avery was the first prosecutor to plead guilty to an offense against New York's murdered teenagers in 1963. The trial lasted 13 years and acquitted Avery at his death. The case was moved out from New York to California where Avery's family moved. Avery's sister Kate Avery, said in 2008 that she and her husband had had many family hardships due to New York's history of violent crime, but the family was happy when Avery released from prison and the family returned to their New York home. Avery was known to socialize with his sister and family members. Avery had a good time as a child and was an avid jogger. He liked to play.