The death of a Hubbard man whose body was found in February 2021 at an apartment complex at the Yokota Air Base in Japan has been ruled a suicide.

The ruling into the mode and method of death of Trevor Balint, 34, of Hubbard, was completed shortly after his body was found by both Japanese and U.S. Air Force authorities. Balint had been the subject of an extensive, two-week search after his wife reported him missing on Feb. 1, 2021.

According to the summary of the case provided by the U.S. government after this newspaper filed a Freedom of Information Act request for documents related to the investigation, a search of a storage closet in the apartment complex revealed Balint’s body was hanging from a water pipe with black and green rope around his neck. An empty bottle of rum, newspaper clippings and a chair were found in the storage unit, the report states.

A medical examiner finalized the death certificate on Feb. 16, 2021, saying Balint died by hanging and the mode of death was suicide. Balint’s estimated time of death was between Feb. 8 and Feb. 10, according to the medical examiner.

Because the environmental information about the storage unit was unknown, the accuracy of these times could have moved as much as two days in either direction, the medical examiner report states.

BACKGROUND

Interviews revealed that at the time of Balint’s death, he did not have a steady job and had no known local friends. He was living at the air base because his wife Britni, who is from Brookfield, worked as a defense department analyst there.

On Jan. 31 about 2 a.m., he arrived home without his wallet, keys and phone. About noon, these items were found scattered on the doorstep of a neighbor’s home. He was declared missing at 6:40 p.m. Feb. 1.

Neighbors told investigators Balint had often exchanged greetings but did not engage in conversation, and they did not see or hear him have any disagreements with anyone.

Reviews of Balint’s receipts revealed that on Jan. 31, he had purchased a one-liter bottle of rum and one 375 ml bottle of gin in the morning. He also purchased four other 500 ml-sized alcoholic beverages from a 711 store.

Past health records showed Balint had attempted suicide in the past — in 2010 by drowning, by sleeping pills in 2016, by attempting to jump from a bridge in 2016, and when he attempted to jump from a sixth-floor window in 2018.

In 2017, Balint wrote an email that spoke about suicide and how he didn’t fit in with the world.

OTHERS

According to a video posted by Col. Andrew Campbell, 374th Airlift Wing Commander at the base, the discovery of Balint’s death was one of six on the base in 12 months.

“First and foremost I want to express my sincere condolences to the families and friends who have lost loved ones this year,” Campbell said. “I want to reassure our community that these deaths, while tragic, reflect no known danger to our community at large.”

Campbell said the Air Force Office of Special Investigations completed a thorough investigation.

“The integrity of these investigations prevents us from prematurely sharing many of the details about each case and even when complete, many details may not be released out of respect for the deceased and his or her loved ones.”

U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan, D-Howland, helped Balint’s mother-in-law, Denise Mott, of Brookfield, secure a visa to get to Japan to be with her daughter, Britni, in the days during the search and after Balint’s body was found.

gvogrin@tribtoday.com