Newtown dad who probed violence dies in apparent suicide

NEWTOWN, Conn. (AP) — Jeremy Richman and his wife hatched an idea for a way to channel their grief on the day of their 6-year-old daughter’s funeral. They would create a foundation to promote research into the brain pathologies behind violence.

Their daughter Avielle was among the 20 children and six educators killed by a socially isolated gunman on Dec. 14, 2012, at Sandy Hook Elementary School.

Within months of the massacre, the couple launched The Avielle Foundation with the goal of trying to prevent others from suffering such tragedies.

Richman dedicated himself to the cause, becoming known locally and nationally for his advocacy, up until his death on Monday. Police said he was found dead of an apparent suicide inside a Newtown community event center where he had an office. He was 49.