Report: Artifacts source blamed self for suicides

Two days before he killed himself, the undercover informant in a federal sting targeting looted Southwestern artifacts told a friend he felt responsible for the suicides of two defendants, according to police reports released Thursday. Ted Gardiner told the friend he was upset over his involvement in the case and felt like he'd been ``thrown to the curb,'' according to records released by the Unified Police Department at the request of The Associated Press. The sting eventually led to charges against 26 people for allegedly stealing and trafficking in American Indian relics taken illegally from public and tribal lands. Two people, including a prominent southern Utah doctor, committed suicide last June shortly after the indictments were announced...more