The St. Louis County Medical Examiner’s Office, which performed an autopsy in Hibbing, has officially declared that Winter suffered a “self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head.” It was also revealed that investigators had found a handgun case in Winter’s car, along with a box of ammunition with bullets missing.

Lake County Sheriff Carey Johnson said the gun information previously was kept from the public to keep speculation at bay. There was a receipt in the car showing the handgun had been purchased recently, Johnson said.

Winter’s body was found in the Flood Bay area nearly three weeks after he was known to be missing. People working construction in the area noticed a body wearing only boots and gloves on the shore.

Winter was last heard from about 8:40 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 19, when he called a friend. He said he was on Lake Superior, could not see land, and the waves were getting fairly large, the Sheriff’s Office said. Winter’s kayak was discovered Oct. 20 between Gooseberry Falls and Split Rock state parks. His unlocked car was found at a Beaver Bay resort the next day, and personal items were found in the water on subsequent days in the Split Rock Creek area.

The determination of suicide brings to a close a case that had its mysteries, among them some letters containing money that Winter sent to family members, including one apparently sent on Cove Point Lodge stationery, where he was booked to stay Sunday and Monday nights. The 48-year-old former teacher also gave away items from his home in Milwaukee before going to the resort Oct. 18.

Johnson said at the time that the information from friends and family, pointing toward a suicide, was something they considered as part of a normal investigation but “odd” nonetheless.

Winter’s siblings have been in contact with the Lake County Sheriff’s Office and said they don’t wish to comment further on the death.