Overview
Gary Webb was an investigative journalist best known for his 1996 "Dark Alliance" series, which alleged that the CIA supported Nicaraguan Contra rebels who smuggled cocaine into the U.S., fueling the crack epidemic of the 1980s. Following his reporting, Webb was subjected to intense professional scrutiny and his career was effectively ruined.
The Death
On December 10, 2004, Gary Webb was found dead in his home. The coroner ruled the death a suicide. However, the primary source of the conspiracy theory is the fact that Webb died from two gunshots to the head.
Controversy
Critics of the official ruling argue that it is nearly impossible for a person to shoot themselves twice in the head with a .38 caliber revolver. Proponents believe Webb was assassinated because he was working on new investigations into government corruption. Medical examiners, however, have noted that while rare, "multiple-shot" suicides are documented in medical literature when the first shot is not immediately incapacitating.