J. Clifford Baxter
Encyclopedia
John Clifford "Cliff" Baxter (September 27, 1958 – January 25, 2002) was a former Enron Corporation
executive who resigned in May 2001. He sold $30 million worth of Enron stock during the months prior to Enron's bankruptcy. Reportedly, Baxter clashed with CEO
Jeffrey Skilling
over questionable Enron business practices. Before his death, he had agreed to testify before Congress in the Enron case.
Baxter was born in Amityville, New York
, and graduated from New York University
. After graduating, he served in the U.S. Air Force
from 1980 to 1985 and rose to the rank of captain. After he left the military, he enrolled at Columbia University
, where he received an MBA
degree two years later. He had a wife, Carol, and two children, a son and a daughter.
S500
in Sugar Land
, Texas
, with a gunshot wound through the right side of his head. The ammunition used was a "Glaser Safety Slug
", which at the time was misreported as rat-shot
. A revolver
was found in his car and a suicide note
was found in his wife's car at their home. An autopsy
was performed by the Harris County Medical Examiner's Office and the death was ruled a suicide
.
His suicide note was hand printed, though not signed, for his wife Carol. The letter expressed Baxter's despair over the direction his life had taken. In Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room
, a co-worker discloses that Baxter was a manic depressive.
Enron
Enron Corporation was an American energy, commodities, and services company based in Houston, Texas. Before its bankruptcy on December 2, 2001, Enron employed approximately 22,000 staff and was one of the world's leading electricity, natural gas, communications, and pulp and paper companies, with...
executive who resigned in May 2001. He sold $30 million worth of Enron stock during the months prior to Enron's bankruptcy. Reportedly, Baxter clashed with CEO
Chief executive officer
A chief executive officer , managing director , Executive Director for non-profit organizations, or chief executive is the highest-ranking corporate officer or administrator in charge of total management of an organization...
Jeffrey Skilling
Jeffrey Skilling
Jeffrey Keith "Jeff" Skilling is the former president of Enron Corporation, headquartered in Houston, Texas. In 2006 he was convicted of multiple federal felony charges relating to Enron's financial collapse, and is currently serving a 24-year, four-month prison sentence at the Federal...
over questionable Enron business practices. Before his death, he had agreed to testify before Congress in the Enron case.
Baxter was born in Amityville, New York
Amityville, New York
Amityville is a village in the town of Babylon in Suffolk County, New York, in the United States. The population was 9,441 at the 2000 census.-History:...
, and graduated from New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
. After graduating, he served in the U.S. Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
from 1980 to 1985 and rose to the rank of captain. After he left the military, he enrolled at Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
, where he received an MBA
Master of Business Administration
The Master of Business Administration is a :master's degree in business administration, which attracts people from a wide range of academic disciplines. The MBA designation originated in the United States, emerging from the late 19th century as the country industrialized and companies sought out...
degree two years later. He had a wife, Carol, and two children, a son and a daughter.
Suicide
On January 25, 2002, Baxter was found dead in his black Mercedes-BenzMercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz is a German manufacturer of automobiles, buses, coaches, and trucks. Mercedes-Benz is a division of its parent company, Daimler AG...
S500
Mercedes-Benz W220
The Mercedes-Benz W220 was a series of flagship sedans which constituted the Mercedes-Benz S-Class during the early-to-mid 2000's. Development for the W220 S-Class started in 1992, with the final design being approved in 1996 spanning a total of 38 months. The completed prototypes were presented in...
in Sugar Land
Sugar Land, Texas
Sugar Land is a city in the U.S. state of Texas within the metropolitan area and Fort Bend County. Sugar Land is one of the most affluent and fastest-growing cities in Texas, having grown more than 158 percent in the last decade. In the time period of 2000–2007, Sugar Land also enjoyed a...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, with a gunshot wound through the right side of his head. The ammunition used was a "Glaser Safety Slug
Glaser Safety Slug
Glaser Safety Slug is a frangible bullet made by Glaser Safety Slug, Inc., a small American ammunition company based in Sturgis, South Dakota . The company was founded in 1975 by Armin Glaser the same year as the Glaser Safety Slug was developed by Jack Canon.-History:The original round was a...
", which at the time was misreported as rat-shot
Rat-shot
Rat-shot is very small lead shot which is loaded into a cartridge not generally considered a shotgun shell. Such a cartridge with a shot load is often called a "shot shell". The most common cartridges loaded with rat-shot are the .22 Long Rifle or pistol or revolver cartridges...
. A revolver
Revolver
A revolver is a repeating firearm that has a cylinder containing multiple chambers and at least one barrel for firing. The first revolver ever made was built by Elisha Collier in 1818. The percussion cap revolver was invented by Samuel Colt in 1836. This weapon became known as the Colt Paterson...
was found in his car and a suicide note
Suicide note
A suicide note or death note is a message that states the author has died by suicide, and left to be discovered and read in anticipation of suicide....
was found in his wife's car at their home. An autopsy
Autopsy
An autopsy—also known as a post-mortem examination, necropsy , autopsia cadaverum, or obduction—is a highly specialized surgical procedure that consists of a thorough examination of a corpse to determine the cause and manner of death and to evaluate any disease or injury that may be present...
was performed by the Harris County Medical Examiner's Office and the death was ruled a suicide
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
.
His suicide note was hand printed, though not signed, for his wife Carol. The letter expressed Baxter's despair over the direction his life had taken. In Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room
Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room
Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room is a 2005 documentary film based on the best-selling 2003 book of the same name by Fortune reporters Bethany McLean and Peter Elkind, a study of one of the largest business scandals in American history...
, a co-worker discloses that Baxter was a manic depressive.