Sergeant Neil Schneider was a long serving member of the San Atanasio PD. One night he was serving as the Desk Sergeant on an overnight shift when a subordinate received a telephone call from Caroline Pitcavage at about 3:00am. She told the officer that she had just found the body of her husband Police Chief Mike Pitcavage and that he appeared to have committed suicide. Schneider was told of this and he called Lt. Colin Ferguson, the senior available officer, at home at about 3:25. He informed Ferguson of this event and asked him to come to the station to deal with the situation. Ferguson did so and informed Darren Pitcavage, a prisoner in the local jail, of his father's death. Schneider was present during this interview but did not speak.