The world may have never gotten to know Frederick Jay Bowdy as an entertainer but, sadly, now his name has come to the forefront of media headlines after the aspiring actor took his own life on Facebook Live.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BPOkSJcAU1J/?taken-by=iamjaybowdy
According to the <a href="http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-actor-death-20170124-htmlstory.html">LA Times</a>, Bowdy "told followers watching via livestream that he was going to commit suicide, prompting an out-of-state family member to call the Los Angeles Police Department about 5:30 a.m., according to Sgt. Tiffany Ljubetic. Police tried to reach Bowdy, who was in a car near Cumpston Street and Fulcher Avenue, but he killed himself before officers made contact with him, Ljubetic said."
Shock and sadness immediately followed the incident, along with questions of whether the act was a hoax because of Bowdy's profession, with others asking why he'd want to take his own life. Further investigation by the LA Times revealed the 33 year old who had recently moved to Southern California had been arrested in Santa Clarita on suspicion of sexual assault last Thursday and was released Friday after posting $100,000 bail, although "he had not been charged with a crime."
https://www.instagram.com/p/BG0L1dKA7VT/
Ruthylyn, a friend of the Texas native who had worked as a teacher and coach in Fort Worth and owned a semi-professional basketball team there, wrote an open letter to Bowdy on <a href="https://nakeddeparture.com/2017/01/24/jay-bowdy-actor-committed-suicide/">Nakeddeparture.com</a>, expressing her sadness and guilt over his death.
<blockquote>"I’m not one to express much, but I feel the need to because my heart is so heavy. My open letter to you.
"Though I haven’t known you long, we built a relationship that was strong. I’m sitting here looking through our last text messages and trying to figure out where I went wrong, what I missed, what I could have done differently to have been there for you in your time of need. I feel like I have failed you as a friend and for that I am truly sorry. In the time we spent toget<span class="text_exposed_show">her, there were some true heart to hearts. I hate that you felt you had to end your life. I pray for you… your wife…your children…your family and friends. I pray you are no longer in pain and are at peace.</span>
"I will try to remember the good times we spent together and I will always remember our laughs and your smile. I pray that you are resting peacefully. I’m sorry I wasn’t there. The last text you sent to me was, “Be great friend” and I promise you that I will… for you and for me."</blockquote>
According to <a href="https://hellobeautiful.com/2923029/tragedy-on-social-media-actor-jay-bowdy-commits-suicide-on-facebook-live/">Hello Beautiful</a>, at the end of Bowdy's Facebook Live video, which has since been removed, he explained that he "had his first child when he was 18 years old and got married when he was 25 years old. He and his wife welcomed four children together and he also had two kids from a previous relationship."