Georgia man was found dead, the apparent victim of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, on the afternoon of Nov. 12 at the Elysium Resort in Fort Lauderdale.

The victim, identified by investigators as Timothy Smith, 54, of Lithonia, Ga., was a guest at the all gay male, clothing optional resort. Smith had been listed as a 'missing and
endangered person' by the Cobb County, Ga. Police Department.

“Mr. Smith was reported missing by a family member after he left a note stating he possibly had intentions of harming himself,” wrote Lt. Tim Brooks, of the Cobb County Crimes
Against Persons Unit, in an e-mail to SFGN. “As with any missing person report we take them seriously and investigate them fully.”

Smith was discovered lying on the bed in his room in a pool of blood by resort employees. A silver and black semi auto pistol was lying on the bed next to Smith’s body, the police report states. The gunshot wound, police say, was to the chest.

Fort Lauderdale Homicide detective Mark Shotwell said that while a gunshot wound to the chest is uncommon in suicide cases, it does happen. He determined the wound was self-inflicted.

If he is accurate, it marks the fifth suicide of a gay man in the greater Fort Lauderdale area in the past three months, raising concerns amongst local health care advocates.