A Noblesville man -- mistaken for a Halloween
decoration by motorists after he apparently hanged himself from a
tree -- has died.
Bryon Tharp, 42, died Wednesday at Methodist Hospital
in Indianapolis when doctors unhooked a life-support machine.
Noblesville police said he apparently hung himself
about 7 p.m. Tuesday from a tree in the front yard of his home at
1241 Cherry St.
There were no signs of foul play, police said.
A neighbor walking by the yard discovered Tharp with a
television cable wrapped around his neck, Cpl. Edie Kesee said.
Passing motorists apparently did not realize he was
hanging from the tree, Kesee said.
"Hanging in a tree like that, people thought it was a
Halloween prank and didn't think anything about it," she said.
"(The passer-by) thought it looked too real and saw
some movement."
When police arrived, Tharp had a heartbeat, but was
not breathing. Police tried cardiopulmonary resuscitation to revive
Tharp before emergency workers took him to Riverview Hospital in
Noblesville. He later was transferred to Methodist.
Authorities said Tharp had tried to kill himself
earlier Tuesday, but a relative stopped him.
Police did not say exactly why he wanted to commit
suicide. Kesee would only say Tharp had been "very depressed."
Family members said Tharp had not worked in several
years because he suffered neck and back injuries in a work-related
accident. He had worked as a handyman and painter.
His mother, Rosemary Davis of Noblesville, said her
son had been "happy-go-lucky" until the injury. His wife later died
of lung cancer.
He was the father of an 18-year-old daughter, who
lives in Westfield.
Funeral services have been set for 1 p.m. Saturday at
Randall & Roberts Funeral Home, 1150 Logan St., Noblesville.
