July 23, 2003 - Peace Corps Press Release: Updated to Investigation on death of PCV Zachary Merrill
Peace Corps Online: Peace Corps News: Headlines: Peace Corps Headlines - 2003: July 2003 Peace Corps Headlines: July 23, 2003 - Peace Corps Press Release: Updated to Investigation on death of PCV Zachary Merrill
By Admin1 (admin) on Friday, July 25, 2003 - 4:15 pm: Edit Post

Update to Investigation on death of PCV Zachary Merrill




Caption: Peace Corps Volunteer Zachary Merrill (center) who was stationed in the village of Kampolosso, in the county of Bla, which is located in the center of Mali. (Photos courtesy Peace Corps Press Office)


Read and comment on this Peace Corps Press Release that the preliminary autopsy report related to the death of Mali Peace Corps volunteer Zachary Merrill has been made available to the Peace Corps. The 23-year old volunteer was found dead at his site in the West African country on Monday, July 7. The preliminary autopsy findings indicate that the manner of death was suicide.

For the record, the following medical information has been released by the family of Zachary Merrill: Zachary was taking the anti-malarial medication Doxycycline at the time of his death. He was not taking the anti-malarial drug Lariam which has been linked to mental problems and reports of suicide in a small number of cases. Zachary had not taken Lariam since he completed training 24 months ago. Zachary's father is a physician and had been monitoring the medication his son was taking during his two years of service in Mali.

Peace Corps staff and volunteers in Mali held a memorial service in Zack's honor on Sunday July 13, at the Peace Corps Post in Mali. The Merrill family is planning a memorial service in Lake Oswego, Oregon. Our condolences to the friends and family of Zachary Merrill from the Returned Volunteer community. Read the Press Release at:

Statement on the Death Investigation of Peace Corps Volunteer Zachary Merrill*

* This link was active on the date it was posted. PCOL is not responsible for broken links which may have changed.


Statement on the Death Investigation of Peace Corps Volunteer Zachary Merrill

Washington, D.C., July 23, 2003 - The preliminary autopsy report related to the death of Mali Peace Corps volunteer Zachary Merrill has been made available to the Peace Corps. The 23-year old volunteer was found dead at his site in the West African country on Monday, July 7.

An autopsy was performed by the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware. The preliminary autopsy findings indicate that the cause of death was by hanging, and the manner of death was suicide. The final report on the investigation will be issued after the results of the toxicology evaluations are complete.

"The Peace Corps is deeply saddened by the death of Zack Merrill. He was an exceptional volunteer, always willing to take on new challenges. The Peace Corps, his fellow volunteers, his host family, and community in Mali will truly miss his many talents and giving nature," stated Peace Corps Director Gaddi H. Vasquez.

Zack was sworn in as a Peace Corps volunteer on November 1, 2001, and while he was scheduled to complete his service this coming November, Zack had requested a one-year service extension to work in the area of information technology. A U.S. resident of Portland, Oregon, he was living in the village of Kampolosso, in the county of Bla, which is located in the center of Mali.




According to his fellow volunteers in Mali, Zack had been the support person for many other volunteers and had always been the one to light up a room with his humor.

"We have been overwhelmed by the outpouring of support from friends, family, the Peace Corps, as well as strangers who were touched by this tragic loss," stated the Merrill family.

Peace Corps staff and volunteers in Mali held a memorial service in Zack's honor on Sunday July 13, at the Peace Corps Post in Mali. The Merrill family is planning a memorial service in Lake Oswego, Oregon


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July 23, 2003 - Memorial service scheduled for Peace Corps volunteer Zachary Merrill




Read and comment on this story from Oregon Live ton July 23, 2003 that a Memorial service has been scheduled in Lake Oswego, Oregon for Peace Corps volunteer Zachary Merrill who died in Mali on July 7 at:

Memorial service scheduled for Peace Corps volunteer*

* This link was active on the date it was posted. PCOL is not responsible for broken links which may have changed.


Memorial service scheduled for Peace Corps volunteer

LAKE OSWEGO -- A memorial service for Zachary Merrill, a 23-year-old Peace Corps volunteer and Lake Oswego High School graduate, will be at 1 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 2, in Christ Church Episcopal Parish, 1060 Chandler Road, Lake Oswego.

Merrill had spent nearly two years working in the Peace Corps in a village of about 800 in Mali, the western African nation. A preliminary autopsy report released Tuesday found that he took his own life near his work site July 7.

Merrill, who grew up in Dunthorpe, attended Riverdale Grade School. He graduated from Lake Oswego High School in 1997 and Northwestern University with a degree in journalism in 2001.

In the Peace Corps, Merrill had spent almost two years on projects such as building a community garden to fight malnutrition and digging wells. He recently had applied for a one-year extension to assist in "information technology."


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This story has been posted in the following forums: : Headlines; Obituaries; COS - Mali; Safety and Security of Volunteers

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