Earlier this month, former FBI agent Ted Gunderson made some shocking allegations that somehow flew under the mainstream media's radar. Gunderson theorized that the former Palm Springs mayor and Republican Congressional representative, Sonny Bono, most famously known as the husband of pop superstar, Cher, was privy to some sensitive information -- so sensitive it got him killed.
According to the Globe, Gunderson believed that Bono's January 5, 1998, fatal skiing accident on the Heavenly Ski resort slopes in Nevada was, in fact, a cover-up. He believes that Bono did not slam into a tree, but rather was beaten to death and that the accident was staged.
"It's nonsense for anyone to now try to suggest that Bono died after crashing into a tree," Gunderson insisted. "There's zero evidence in this autopsy report to show such an accident happened. Instead, there's powerful proof he was assassinated. The former FBI agent-turned-private investigator added, "This was an evil plot that was carried out to almost perfection by ruthless assassins."
Now before you go off wondering what type of Area 51 conspiracy theories this guy is spinning; know this, he is not alone. Allegedly, there are forensic investigators who agree and claim that the Nevada officials were too quick on the draw when it came to concluding Bono's death was but a tragic accident.
According to The Australian, Gunderson believes that "top officials linked to an international drug and weapons ring feared the singer-turned-politician was about to expose their crimes - so they had him killed on the slopes." He added Bono was accosted by thugs who beat him up and staged the Tree/Bono smashup.
According to David Martin of the Kenny's Sideshow blog, another investigator also stated to the Globe that he has no doubt Bono was murdered. Bob Fletcher, 66, not only believes Bono was murdered; he believes he might have been the one responsible for Bono's death.
Fletcher claimed that in December 1997, he sent Bono documentation about "the activities of high ranking U.S. military and government officials he claims were raking in millions from arms and drug deals in Central America and Southeast Asia."
Martin added that Fletcher reported, "I later received a call from an assistant in his offices to tell me Sonny had seen my full report and was absolutely livid about the level of corruption I made him aware of.
"He was going to make it his No. 1 priority when Congress resumed after the Christmas and New Year break. He was going to go after the biggest names.
"Just 10 days later, I received a call that he was dead. I'd heard it was suspected his offices had been bugged. Tragically, that must have been the case. There's no doubt in my mind Sonny was murdered by someone who needed to silence him."
Fletcher also got his hands on Bono's autopsy, which until that time, had been basically secreted away. The autopsy report, as was discussed in the Globe article, apparently revealed that the damage to Bono was caused by something much worse than simply skiing into a tree. According to the report, Bono had "a black eye, swollen lips, bloody nose, bruised jaw, and two upper teeth knocked out, all on the right side of the head," as well as several "fractures in a 'central depressed region' on the right side of Bono's skull and found 'some of the fractured bone pieces have a curved configuration.'"
Fletcher believed these fractures were the result of being beaten with a gun. He was so convinced that he convened a panel to investigate the fractures. Fletcher believes the wounds indicate that Bono was held from behind by one man while another wailed on his face with a pistol.
Fletcher also noted that Bono suffered minimal brain damage, which goes against the concept of running into a tree. He also noted that "Bono had no smashed ribs, broken knees, neck trauma - or hand injuries that would have come from trying to ward off a collision with a tree."
In addition, the tell-tale signs that he would have run into a tree were not present, such as "bark impressions on his face and plant debris on his clothes." Furthermore, Bono's ski goggles were not smashed in as would have been expected.
Finally, the investigator added that "the back of Bono's clothes were soaked with blood - but he had no back wounds." His assessment was that "the blood must have come from someone else, perhaps when Sonny valiantly fought back and hit one of his assailants."
Kenny's Sideshow blogger David Martin postulates that Bono's possible murder may have resulted from the Branch Davidian-ATF conflict led by then-Attorney General Janet Reno. He believes that Bono's tough criticism of Reno during federal hearings about her approval to use CS gas on children at the Davidian compound was excessive and irresponsible at best, and may have led to retaliation by the United States government.
Fletcher and Gundersen hope that these latest findings will spur on Bono's celebrity wife, Cher, into asking for the government to re-open the investigation into her husband's death. Unfortunately, not many American media outlets have picked up on the story, so we shall have to wait and see.
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