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Founder Of Firm Under Investigation Kills Himself

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The founder of a Maryland construction company that was under investigation for contracting fraud in the District of Columbia has committed suicide.

The Virginia Medical Examiner's office confirmed Wednesday that John Richard "Rick" Forrester died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. He was 55. An attorney for the company, Michael Jaffe, also confirmed Forrester's death. A company spokeswoman did not return messages left by The Associated Press, but the company released a statement to The Washington Post saying that Forrester died over the weekend.

Forrester was the founder of Rockville, Maryland-based Forrester Construction. The AP has reported that the company is one of several that are under federal investigation for possible fraud involving a program meant to give contracting preferences to small, District of Columbia-based businesses.

(Copyright 2013 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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