Kyle’s Story

The Truth for Kyle Brennan

Kyle Brennan was a twenty-year-old college student from Virginia who died under suspicious circumstances in Clearwater, Florida, on February 16, 2007, while visiting his Scientologist father, Thomas Brennan. Tragically, Kyle was found dead from a gunshot wound on February 16, 2007, in his father’s apartment.

Kyle was a bright, creative young man who suffered from mild depression and anxiety. He was prescribed Lexapro by his physician, Dr. Stephen McNamara. The Church of Scientology is vehemently opposed to psychiatry and psychotropic medications. Kyle was not a Scientologist.

During Kyle’s brief stay in Clearwater—the site of Scientology’s headquarters—his father was under the supervision of a Scientology “auditor.” This person was Denise Miscavige Gentile, the twin sister of the Church of Scientology’s leader, David Miscavige.

Kyle’s family would learn that, due to Scientology’s beliefs regarding mental health, the Church had issued an order to Kyle’s father to “handle” Kyle. He would be dead within thirty-six hours. His medication was found locked in the trunk of his father’s vehicle. This tragedy underscores the severe dangers of individuals or organizations interfering in medical treatment without proper qualifications.

Assigned to the Investigation was Clearwater Police Detective Stephen Bohling.

Here are some of the lies, deception, and unanswered questions raised by Detective Bohling’s investigation and subsequent police report.

Detective Bohling and Medical Investigator Martha J. Scholl falsely claimed in their reports that they had consulted Dr. Stephen McNamara regarding the side effects of stopping Lexapro. In his police report,  Bohling fabricated a statement asserting that Dr. McNamara said there were no adverse effects from the abrupt discontinuation of the drug. However, under oath, Scholl and Bohling admitted that they had never spoken with Dr. McNamara. Dr. McNamara confirmed this, stating he was “perplexed and dumbfounded” by their claims and also could not share patient information due to confidentiality.

He also testified that Kyle only suffered from mild anxiety and depression, and warned that suddenly stopping Lexapro poses serious risks for someone of Kyle’s age.

Court documents and the Clearwater, Florida, police report support these facts.

When Detective Bohling was asked whether the weapon that killed Kyle had been tested for fingerprints, he replied: “No, we never processed the weapon or the scene for fingerprints.” However, the police report revealed that both Kyle’s hands and the weapon had, in fact, been tested. This contradiction shows that the detective misled Kyle’s family. Bohling also stated that he withheld the gunshot residue (GSR) test from further analysis, but this was untrue as well. The gun, along with fourteen other pieces of evidence, ultimately tested negative for fingerprints or ridge detail.

Also, at Thomas Brennan’s apartment, where Kyle died, the bullet that killed Kyle was never found. (Neither was the box of ammunition.) With a missing bullet, no GSR test, and a weapon negative for fingerprints, it cannot be determined who pulled the trigger on the gun that killed my son, or if he was killed by the weapon found on the scene.

This information is supported by the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Crime Scene Report.

Police notes were destroyed: Clearwater Police Officer Jonathan Yeun, one of the first to arrive at Brennan’s apartment that night, shredded the notes of his first interview with Brennan. Detective Steve Bohling destroyed the notes from his first interview with Brennan. Marti Scholl (Martha) was instructed to bring her notes to her deposition, but stated that she had forgotten to do so. Numerous pages from Tom Brennan’s deposition were removed by attorneys representing the Church of Scientology.

Sworn testimony of Jon Yuen, Martha J. Scholl, and Steve Bohling supports this information.

Kyle’s death was ruled self-inflicted. Medical Investigator Martha J. Scholl told family members that she ruled his death a suicide because a police officer told her that a note was found. Detective Bohling, however, stated under oath that the police found no such note. Additionally, Kyle’s family was never asked to provide a handwriting sample during the investigation.

The sworn testimony of Medical investigator Martha Scholl and Clearwater Police Detective Steve Bohling supports this information.

These are just a few of the lies, half-truths, and contradictions revealed in the police report and depositions. When confronted with these troubling discrepancies, Detective Steve Bohling did nothing. The Clearwater police have denied my son’s right to a fair investigation. They have also denied my family’s most basic right: to know the truth of what happened to Kyle that night.

Losing my young son shattered my world: the aftermath has been nothing short of horrific.

Victoria L. Britton