Florida police released its final investigative report into the death of Bob Saget — and there are still more questions than answers. However, it gives more insight as to why investigators believe he likely suffered that fatal fall in his hotel room.
The redacted report sent to media outlets on Tuesday includes new investigative details and a theory as to where Saget his head. The report also features interviews from a handful of individuals who were the last people to see the Full House star alive. The report was released one day after a judge permanently blocked certain materials pertaining to the comedian’s death, like photographs and videos, from seeing the light of day. The Orange County Sheriff’s Office noted the final report complies with the order “while remaining committed to transparency and following the law regarding access to public records.”
Saget’s room at Orlando’s Ritz-Carlton Hotel, where the actor died, consisted of two parts. According to the report, “the majority of the suite is carpeted with the exception of the entry hall and the bedroom closet, which are wood flooring, and the bathrooms which are marble tile.” The description is noteworthy given autopsy findings.
“There was no evidence of a struggle, any type of foul play, or that anyone else was in the room at any time during his stay,” the report states.
Saget was found deceased in bed on Jan. 9 when hotel staff did a wellness check. According to investigators, “there were no signs of blood” on the sheets “or anywhere else in the suite.”
“Prior to transport, Mr. Saget’s body was thoroughly examined and photographed. There was slight swelling and a small bruise in the corner of the left eye. There were no other indications of any type of trauma or injury,” one officer reported. It wasn’t until the following day when an autopsy was performed that police were alerted to Saget’s head trauma. The autopsy was conducted by Chief Medical Examiner Joshua Stephany.
“Dr. Stephany showed me the fracture at the base of Mr. Saget’s skull, the evidence of bleeding around the brain, and demonstrated the transfer of force that broke the orbital bones at the front of the skull. He explained that the amount of force necessary to cause the fracture, coupled with the fact that the skin on the back of the head was still intact, led him to believe that the injury was most likely caused by ‘something hard, covered by something soft,’ and he gave, as an example, a fall onto a carpeted floor,” the officer writes.
“Dr. Stephany stated that the fracture would have stunned Mr. Saget, and, even if the bleeding occurred slowly, Mr. Saget would have noticed symptoms such as dizziness, and there would have signs that were obvious to those around him, such as issues with confusion, balance, and/or slurred speech. In a follow-up phone call with Dr. Stephany on January 11, 2022, I mentioned that Mr. Saget had apparently driven himself back from Jacksonville,” the officer continues. “Dr. Stephany stated flatly that Mr. Saget could not have made any type of extended drive with the injury he sustained.”
After the autopsy, investigators returned to Saget’s hotel suite to try and determine where he could have hit his head. Police ruled out “countertops, tables, nightstands, and other hard furniture in the room” because they “all had sharply defined edges and corners and were thought to be unlikely due to the fact that they would have lacerated the skin.” Police ruled out counters in the bathroom and the shower stall for the same reason.
“Most of the chairs and couches were thickly upholstered and were too soft to have caused the type and extent of injury Mr. Saget suffered,” the officer declares. “As mentioned earlier, most of the suite was carpeted. The headboard of the bed was lightly padded and set slightly out from the wall. These are listed here as possible mechanisms of injury, but nothing was located in the room that allows for a definitive conclusion.”
Dr. Stephany “could not state definitively when Mr. Saget’s head wound occurred, but he believed it was probably within hours of his death.” A fall “possibly” could have occurred within a day or two of Jan. 9, but after multiple interviews with witnesses, that seems unlikely.
Saget performed a stand-up show on Jan. 8 in Jacksonville, Florida. Police spoke with employees at the venue who interacted with the actor and all of them noted how he did not consume alcohol or drugs. (That’s consistent with Saget’s clean toxicology report.) No one noticed any signs of cognitive impairment due to a serious fall.
Richard Stanford, a production coordinator, told police “at no point did I think anything was wrong…He chatted with everyone…He had a good time talking with everyone.”
Rosalie Ann Cocci, a “runner” for the hospitality coordinator at the venue, recalled how Saget told her he recently got over COVID-19 and mentioned his hearing was a little off but said “I’m OK.” (Saget was COVID positive at the time of his death.) Cocci told police, “[Bob] wasn’t sweaty, he didn’t miss a beat, he didn’t stutter, his language wasn’t drawn out, nothing slurred. He came out very energetic…very much entertaining the crowd.”
Saget drove his rental car back to the Ritz-Carlton Hotel, which is approximately two hours. There was no damage to the vehicle, so it’s unlikely an injury happened during the road trip. The last person to see the Fuller House star alive was Orlando Nunez, who works at hotel valet. Nunez told police he and Saget made small talk for 10 minutes.
“[Nunez] said Mr. Saget seemed ‘fine’ and he did not see evidence of slurred speech, balance issues, or anything else that caused him concern,” the report states.
Nunez and Saget took a selfie together, which is crucial, as it’s a “clear shot” of the actor’s face.
“There is no evidence of injury or of the bruising near his left eye that was evident post-mortem,” per the report.
The Saget case is closed at this time. His family — wife, Kelly Rizzo, and his three adult daughters, Lara, Aubrey and Jennifer — issued a statement after Monday’s ruling that blocked the release of certain records.
“The entire Saget family is grateful that the judge granted their request for an injunction to preserve Bob’s dignity, as well as their privacy rights, especially after suffering this unexpected and tragic loss,” Saget’s family attorney, Brian H. Bieber, shared. “We are pleased this issue has been resolved, and the healing process can continue to move forward. All of the prayers and well wishes continuously extended to the family are beyond appreciated.”
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