Chilling update on possible four-word suicide note found by Jeffrey Epstein's former cellmate

Jeffrey Epstein's death was officially ruled a suicide, but years later, new attention is being drawn to a piece of evidence that has never been publicly seen.

A purported suicide note, allegedly found weeks before his death, has remained sealed in a courthouse vault for nearly seven years.

Even after the Department of Justice released millions of Epstein-related files, it says it has never seen the note, even as a "cryptic" timeline referencing it was quietly made public, The New York Times reported.

Note Allegedly Discovered After Earlier Jail Incident

The note was reportedly discovered by the disgraced financier's former cellmate, Nicholas Tartaglione, in late July 2019, shortly after Epstein survived an apparent suicide attempt.

According to a Bureau of Prisons incident report, cited by ABC News, the incident occurred on July 23, 2019, when Epstein was found in his cell "with a homemade noose fashioned around his neck".

He was "lying in the fetal position on the floor of his cell wearing a t-shirt and boxers. He was breathing heavily and was snoring... His neck was red with no abrasions," the report said.

Epstein was "determined to have sustained a circular line of erythema at the base of the neck and friction marks on the front of neck".

Initially, Epstein claimed Tartaglione had attacked him, though he later said he could not recall what happened. Tartaglione has denied attempting to harm him.

According to the cellmate, the note was written on yellow paper and hidden inside a book or graphic novel.

He later described its contents in a podcast, saying Epstein wrote: "What do you want me to do? Cry about it?"

Tartaglione also shared: "It said something like 'FBI, you know, looked into me for months and found nothing'... And he was weird because he wrote a smiley face, and then he wrote 'time to say goodbye.'"

Sealed For Years and Absent From Official Investigations

Despite its potential relevance, the note has never been released publicly.

A federal judge sealed it during a legal dispute involving Tartaglione’s defense team and has since been stored in a courthouse vault.

A timeline included in the DOJ’s Epstein files references the note, stating: "Sometime between 7/23 and 7/27, NT found the note," using initials to identify those involved.

Tartaglione’s lawyer, Bruce Barket, reportedly authenticated the note in early 2020, though how that was done has not been disclosed.

"The entire Epstein affair, as it relates to Nick, is under seal, not just the supposed note, if there is one," Barket said.

The note was handed over to a courthouse clerk in White Plains after being ordered into the court’s possession by US District Judge Kenneth Karas. It later became part of a dispute that led to further sealing of related files under the attorney-client privilege.

Even with millions of records collected and released by the DOJ, the note has not appeared in any official investigation into Epstein’s death, including a 2023 report by the Office of the Inspector General.

The NYT has now petitioned the court to unseal the document, arguing that its contents are already partially known and could help clarify lingering questions.

Parties involved in the case have been ordered to respond by May 4.

Many people still doubt how Epstein died. Per The Independent, polls last year showed about half of Americans think he may have been murdered, while far fewer believe it was suicide.

To complicate matters further, the financier denied being suicidal after the July 23 incident, as a psychological evaluation stated: "Inmate Epstein denied any past or present suicidal ideation, intention or plan. He denied ever engaging in any suicide attempts or self-injurious behavior in the past."

He also told a staff psychologist: "I have no interest in killing myself," and described his situation as "not perfect" but said he had "lots to do for [his] legal case."

"He described having a 'wonderful life,' to include interactions with 'interesting people and projects.' He said 'it would be crazy' to take his life. He furthered, 'I would not do that to myself,'" it was noted.

Epstein was taken off suicide watch on July 24, 2019, but remained under observation until his death weeks later on August 10, 2019.

If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or visit 988lifeline.org.

Featured image credit: Patrick McMullan / Getty