Budd Dwyer

Politician

November 21, 1939 Saint Charles, Missouri, United States

January 22, 1987 Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, United States

Joanne Grappy (m. 1963; his death 1987)

Budd Dwyer was an American politician who served as the 30th Head of Treasury of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Prior to that he was also a part of Pennsylvania’s senate for the Republican Party and represented the 50th district of the state. Born and brought up in Missouri to a middle class family, Budd wanted to be an accountant during his teenage years while he was in school but studying political science in college took him to politics. He became a Republican in the early 60s and was elected for the Pennsylvania’s House of Representatives for the 6th district. In 1980, he ran for the state office elections and in 1981, he sat on the chair of State Treasurer. His tenure for first few years went smoothly but in 1986, he was convicted of taking bribe from an accounting firm to handle a major government scheme. On January 23rd 1987, his sentence was scheduled to be heard but it did not come to pass as he shocked the entire world with what he did a day prior. On 22nd, he called a press conference and shot himself dead in front of the media.