‘Not a suicide note?’ What emails in newly released Epstein files reveal about his final words

Millions of files linked to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein have been released by the US Department of Justice in its largest public disclosure since a law mandated the release of all related records last year. The material has also renewed debate over Epstein’s death, more than five years after he was found dead in a New York jail. Among the records are emails exchanged between investigators that discuss Epstein’s final note, with one message stating that it 'does not appear to be a suicide note'.

The release, which has intensified scrutiny of how authorities handled the case and what questions remain unanswered, includes around three million pages of documents, nearly 1,80,000 images and about 2,000 videos made public on Friday.

The latest tranche includes internal correspondence, memos and emails exchanged between investigators following Epstein’s death in August 2019. Some documents revisit the circumstances of his incarceration and the failures identified at the Metropolitan Correctional Center, where Epstein was being held on federal sex trafficking charges. Thousands of pages linked to his death had already been made public, but the new release adds further detail to earlier disclosures.

Central to renewed interest is an email exchange between investigators that refers directly to Epstein’s final written note. According to the record, one official wrote that the note 'does not appear to be a suicide note'. The documents do not elaborate on the reasoning behind that assessment, nor do they overturn the official finding that Epstein died by suicide, but the wording has fuelled questions about interpretation and evidence.

Multiple investigations have concluded that Jeffrey Epstein’s death was a suicide. In 2019, New York City’s chief medical examiner, following an autopsy, determined that Epstein died by suicide by hanging. However, according to the Associated Press, the newly released records also include emails from December 2019 discussing missing surveillance footage from the New York jail, where Epstein had survived an apparent suicide attempt earlier that year.

Beyond Epstein’s death, some of the records centre on Ghislaine Maxwell, his longtime associate, and her incarceration. These include references to her complaints about prison conditions, reflecting the broader scope of the document release beyond Epstein alone.