The husband of a missing woman who disappeared from her sister’s westside home in Gilroy appeared to have committed suicide, a Sonoma County Sheriff Coroner’s Office spokeswoman confirmed.
Steve Ronald Coolbaugh, 49, and the husband of missing Noemi “Mimi” Coolbaugh was pronounced dead at the couple’s Cotati-based Pinewood Court home July 21. He was found with an empty wine glass, screened positive for barbiturates and left “an apparent” suicide note, according to a report dictated by the coroner’s office spokeswoman.
“During the last couple of days he was getting desperate,” sister Myrna Aguilar said of her brother-in-law. “(Coolbaugh) said he could not live without his wife.”
Flores said that she was in contact with a member of Coolbaugh’s church, who indicated Steve expressed thoughts of suicide previous to his wife’s disappearance and that it was “his way of dealing with things.” He left a will behind, and family members were planning an estate sale, Aguilar said.
Aguilar added that “we were trying to get him to stop thinking that way” and that she did not suspect foul play—placing him at church during the time of his wife’s disappearance.
Family members are puzzled over whether Coolbaugh just went missing or committed suicide—or whether she may have taken off on her own account.
“We can’t find her, and we don’t know what else to do,” Aguilar said.
Since Coolbaugh’s disappearance, family members received search support from the Polly Klaas Foundation and Search for Sierra LaMar volunteers.
The exact cause of death is pending toxicology reports set for release in two to three months.
Gilroy Police Department described Coolbaugh as 5’5″ in height with brown hair, brown eyes and weighing approximately 130 pounds. Police said she is possibly wearing glasses, and her hair is possibly darker than it appears in the photo.
Residents are being asked to call the Gilroy Police Department at (408) 846-0350 immediately with information about Coolbaugh’s disappearance.
