A suicide note allegedly written by Jeffrey Epstein has remained locked away in a New York courthouse for years, despite widespread demands for transparency surrounding the disgraced financier’s death. The note was discovered by Epstein’s former cellmate just weeks before Epstein died in his jail cell in August 2019, raising new questions about what really happened.

Hidden Note Discovered in Graphic Novel

Nicholas Tartaglione, Epstein’s cellmate at the Metropolitan Correctional Center, found the note tucked inside a graphic novel in July 2019. The note allegedly read, “What do you want me to do, bust out crying? Time to say goodbye.” Tartaglione gave the note to his lawyers after Epstein had been found injured and unresponsive weeks earlier, fearing Epstein might accuse him of assault. A federal judge sealed the note as part of Tartaglione’s criminal case, and it has never been publicly released.

Records show Tartaglione’s lawyers authenticated the note in late 2019 or early 2020, though the method of authentication remains unclear. The note was never mentioned in official investigations into Epstein’s death. After the July incident, Epstein underwent psychological evaluation but was later found dead on August 10, 2019, with a noose around his neck. The two correctional officers on duty, Tova Noel and Michael Thomas, failed to perform required cell checks at midnight, three in the morning, and five in the morning.

Suspicious Circumstances Surround Death

Dr. Michael Baden, a forensic pathologist hired by Epstein’s brother, concluded that Epstein’s autopsy findings were more consistent with homicidal strangulation than suicide. The 66-year-old had two fractures on his larynx and a fracture on his left hyoid bone, injuries Baden said are extremely rare in suicides by hanging. Only one camera near Epstein’s cell was functioning due to widespread malfunctions at the facility, leaving critical gaps in the video record of his final hours.

Calls for Transparency Remain Unanswered

President Trump signed legislation requiring the Department of Justice to release all unredacted files related to Epstein, leading to the release of 3.5 million pages of documents. However, the suicide note remains sealed. Prosecutors charged the two guards with conspiracy to defraud the United States and falsifying records, but the charges were later dropped after they completed a deferred prosecution agreement. The sealed note continues to fuel speculation about what happened during Epstein’s final weeks, with critics demanding its release as part of ongoing transparency efforts surrounding the case.