CALVIN BERRY - The mysterious drowning of a beloved USPS mail carrier and family man in 2021

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STUART, Fla. —
The family and friends of a man who police said died in an accidental drowning are calling for an additional investigation.

The family said the first investigation by the Port St. Lucie Police Department did not go far enough. Now, police department leaders said they are indeed moving forward with another review of the case.
Calvin Berry was a mail carrier for the United States Postal Service for more than 30 years. His mail carrier route was in Stuart, where his family and friends gathered on Saturday to call for another investigation into his death.
"No matter what mood you were in, when you were with Calvin you were happy and you were upbeat. He was just a joy and to not have him around, it’s a big void. It’s a big loss,” said Dornett Mullings, Berry's sister.

Berry was first reported missing on March 11, 2021. Police said they received a call that his body was found in a canal behind his home on March 13, 2021.



Port St. Lucie Police Department leaders said the medical examiner's office ruled Berry's death an accidental drowning complicated by the use of diphenhydramine, which is found in allergy medications.
Brenton Palmer, Berry's friend, said he is the person who found Berry's body.

"I do not feel (the Port St. Lucie Police Department) did a thorough job at all,” Palmer said, in reference to the police department's investigation into Berry's death. "I know Calvin is listening somewhere. We will find out what happened. We won’t give up, we will know what happened. Eventually, we will find out."

"We want some investigation," said Mullings. "We want answers and maybe the answers will lead us to nothing, but please investigate. There are too many unanswered questions. "We just want the answers. We are not saying charge someone for a homicide. We just want to know what happened."
 
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STUART, Fla. —
The family and friends of a man who police said died in an accidental drowning are calling for an additional investigation.

The family said the first investigation by the Port St. Lucie Police Department did not go far enough. Now, police department leaders said they are indeed moving forward with another review of the case.
Calvin Berry was a mail carrier for the United States Postal Service for more than 30 years. His mail carrier route was in Stuart, where his family and friends gathered on Saturday to call for another investigation into his death.
"No matter what mood you were in, when you were with Calvin you were happy and you were upbeat. He was just a joy and to not have him around, it’s a big void. It’s a big loss,” said Dornett Mullings, Berry's sister.

Berry was first reported missing on March 11, 2021. Police said they received a call that his body was found in a canal behind his home on March 13, 2021.



Port St. Lucie Police Department leaders said the medical examiner's office ruled Berry's death an accidental drowning complicated by the use of diphenhydramine, which is found in allergy medicat
Brenton Palmer, Berry's friend, said he is the person who found Berry's body.

"I do not feel (the Port St. Lucie Police Department) did a thorough job at all,” Palmer said, in reference to the police department's investigation into Berry's death. "I know Calvin is listening somewhere. We will find out what happened. We won’t give up, we will know what happened. Eventually, we will find out."

"We want some investigation," said Mullings. "We want answers and maybe the answers will lead us to nothing, but please investigate. There are too many unanswered questions. "We just want the answers. We are not saying charge someone for a homicide. We just want to know what happened."
That is so suspicious. What is wrong with them?!. Diphenhydramine?. Come on. An over the counter allergy medication. Really?. I take 3 prescription allergy meds. People can abuse Diphenhydramine, But I doubt that is the case here. Did they say elevated levels?. Not that I saw.
 
That is so suspicious. What is wrong with them?!. Diphenhydramine?. Come on. An over the counter allergy medication. Really?. I take 3 prescription allergy meds. People can abuse Diphenhydramine, But I doubt that is the case here. Did they say elevated levels?. Not that I saw.
Yeah, I thought that was odd, too! Unless he had a history of being overly tired when taking them?
 
There are alot of medications you wouldnt even suspect have drowsiness warnings. The label "May cause drowsiness. Until you know how this medication effects you, Do not operate heavy machinery". I have over 10 marked that way. I know what to take when and when not to. I just don't see this man ignoring warnings either and he knew how he felt taking it. He sounds like he had it all together and wouldn't be careless at all.
 
So what is it they think? He overdosed and killed self in canal? That he was so tired or out of it he wandered in and drowned and was clueless?

I'm not judging, I mean what do they cops think? He was taking a walk and slipped and fell because of taking something?

Also, is this drug like Benadryl or something?

I've come to the conclusion that most deaths with most departments that look even seemingly accidental or suicidal get written off if no clear sign of foul play, it just keeps their plates and cleared cases lower and cleaner and a lot less work etc. Also the chief or sheriff look better to city council or county board less budget spent or to explain used or needed, less asked for etc. , more cases solved, good stats...

I'm not saying one and all are like that and I am not even saying there isn't reason as departments can't maybe spend all resources, time allotted and efforts on one case that may even BE an accident BUT some things like water deaths and suicides (apparent ones) just get basically NO investigation sometimes in some areas, case closed, book closed... It is like where poison used to never be tested for and still probably isn't in some situations when someone presents as ill at the hospital and they just can't pinpoint what is wrong..., etc...

And because of that and more, someone wanting to get away with something would know water deaths may be the least questioned for instance...

Is there aniy back story from even family here? Did he have allergies? Did he have trouble sleeping or something and such helped? Was it a habit of his to be near the canal? Could he swim? Etc., etc., etc., etc.
 
Last seen? Where? Work that day? Have any meals or drinks with anyone? Did they find the source or bottle of the med? Did he take it for years or just buy a bottle recently? First time ever? Receipt for purchase looked for? His personal doctor talked with? IS there even a source or bottle in the home and was it typical?

Bank records looked at and recent activities and possible mood? Any recent breakups? Purchases?

Just saying even in such cases that may seem accidental, oh yes there is investigation that can be done... And should be imo.

WHY would you show criminals or those thinking of murdering, etc. that just pick this method or way and it is UNLIKELY it will even be questioned or investigated and you will likely get away with it...
 
Yeah, I thought that was odd, too! Unless he had a history of being overly tired when taking them?
No history at all. His wife calmly mentioned "he takes Benadryl to sleep" to the 911 operator because she knew it would show up in the toxicology report. The Detective did zero investigation. Missing person case open and when he was found she closed the case. Never investigated criminally even with the extremely high/lethal levels in the toxicology report.
 
Last seen? Where? Work that day? Have any meals or drinks with anyone? Did they find the source or bottle of the med? Did he take it for years or just buy a bottle recently? First time ever? Receipt for purchase looked for? His personal doctor talked with? IS there even a source or bottle in the home and was it typical?

Bank records looked at and recent activities and possible mood? Any recent breakups? Purchases?

Just saying even in such cases that may seem accidental, oh yes there is investigation that can be done... And should be imo.

WHY would you show criminals or those thinking of murdering, etc. that just pick this method or way and it is UNLIKELY it will even be questioned or investigated and you will likely get away with it...
She cannot get away with it!
 
So what is it they think? He overdosed and killed self in canal? That he was so tired or out of it he wandered in and drowned and was clueless?

I'm not judging, I mean what do they cops think? He was taking a walk and slipped and fell because of taking something?

Also, is this drug like Benadryl or something?

I've come to the conclusion that most deaths with most departments that look even seemingly accidental or suicidal get written off if no clear sign of foul play, it just keeps their plates and cleared cases lower and cleaner and a lot less work etc. Also the chief or sheriff look better to city council or county board less budget spent or to explain used or needed, less asked for etc. , more cases solved, good stats...

I'm not saying one and all are like that and I am not even saying there isn't reason as departments can't maybe spend all resources, time allotted and efforts on one case that may even BE an accident BUT some things like water deaths and suicides (apparent ones) just get basically NO investigation sometimes in some areas, case closed, book closed... It is like where poison used to never be tested for and still probably isn't in some situations when someone presents as ill at the hospital and they just can't pinpoint what is wrong..., etc...

And because of that and more, someone wanting to get away with something would know water deaths may be the least questioned for instance...

Is there aniy back story from even family here? Did he have allergies? Did he have trouble sleeping or something and such helped? Was it a habit of his to be near the canal? Could he swim? Etc., etc., etc., etc.
No allergies, nothing. This was a total shock and a mystery. The K-9 and Drones had negative results. No signs of him entering the canal. The Detective said "since there was no indication from k9 and drone he was in the area I did not put a diver in the canal because I did not want to risk a diver's life in the canal". Yet she determined it's an accident!
 
No allergies, nothing. This was a total shock and a mystery. The K-9 and Drones had negative results. No signs of him entering the canal. The Detective said "since there was no indication from k9 and drone he was in the area I did not put a diver in the canal because I did not want to risk a diver's life in the canal". Yet she determined it's an accident!
Thanks, I didn't see much detail about what happened or was said so that helps.

More people take Benadryl to sleep than I ever knew, I seem to run into it all the time these days, I guess it isn't uncommon. I've never done that but I have taken Tylenol Cold/PM etc. to help sleep out of desperation when I needed sleep badly. Same idea and I would say also we likely think it safer than taking something worse as it is OTC. However, that also makes it pretty easy to give someone, etc.

The thing is I would never go outside or near water etc. after taking it, you take it to sleep if that was the purpose, not to then go wander around and because you took it, you know better than to do so. Right?

So what is it you think happened and how did his body come to be there?

And I guess I have to also ask then is there a motive here meaning was it a bad marriage, on the brink of divorce, etc.? I haven't read anything elsewhere so I know nothing about this case/death.
 
Thanks, I didn't see much detail about what happened or was said so that helps.

More people take Benadryl to sleep than I ever knew, I seem to run into it all the time these days, I guess it isn't uncommon. I've never done that but I have taken Tylenol Cold/PM etc. to help sleep out of desperation when I needed sleep badly. Same idea and I would say also we likely think it safer than taking something worse as it is OTC. However, that also makes it pretty easy to give someone, etc.

The thing is I would never go outside or near water etc. after taking it, you take it to sleep if that was the purpose, not to then go wander around and because you took it, you know better than to do so. Right?

So what is it you think happened and how did his body come to be there?

And I guess I have to also ask then is there a motive here meaning was it a bad marriage, on the brink of divorce, etc.? I haven't read anything elsewhere so I know nothing about this case/death.
Red herring.

If you take it frequently, you have no issues with walking around. It doesn't incompacitate you in any way if you only take one. It just makes you sleepy feeling. Probably not the brightest idea to go around the water afterwards, but it wouldn't have much to do with anything if something did happen to him then. It wouldn't have affected him any more than one beer would have.
 
I've read that Berry was experiencing emotional stress over the past few days because of lack of sleep.
Anyway, I see no evidence of foul play nor suicide and so it appears to me it's accidental.
 
I've read that Berry was experiencing emotional stress over the past few days because of lack of sleep.
Anyway, I see no evidence of foul play nor suicide and so it appears to me it's accidental.
the lack of sleep would have been far more of a danger to him than one benadryl would have been. Accidental seems the most logical, but it definitely wasn't just because of taking one benadryl.
 
the lack of sleep would have been far more of a danger to him than one benadryl would have been. Accidental seems the most logical, but it definitely wasn't just because of taking one benadryl.
My point was that he took the medicine to try to sleep.
Now, why/how he came to be in the canal is something I don't believe will ever be known, impossible to know.
 
Thanks, I didn't see much detail about what happened or was said so that helps.

More people take Benadryl to sleep than I ever knew, I seem to run into it all the time these days, I guess it isn't uncommon. I've never done that but I have taken Tylenol Cold/PM etc. to help sleep out of desperation when I needed sleep badly. Same idea and I would say also we likely think it safer than taking something worse as it is OTC. However, that also makes it pretty easy to give someone, etc.

The thing is I would never go outside or near water etc. after taking it, you take it to sleep if that was the purpose, not to then go wander around and because you took it, you know better than to do so. Right?

So what is it you think happened and how did his body come to be there?

And I guess I have to also ask then is there a motive here meaning was it a bad marriage, on the brink of divorce, etc.? I haven't read anything elsewhere so I know nothing about this case/death.
Worked with the USPS for 30yrs, huge pension. Motive - Money 💰. Marriage was shaky for years. Relationship with daughters also strained. He was a Decon in his Church with high expectations for his daughters but they have no ambition nor self worth. Unfortunately they were very disrespectful even more as adults.
Red herring.

If you take it frequently, you have no issues with walking around. It doesn't incompacitate you in any way if you only take one. It just makes you sleepy feeling. Probably not the brightest idea to go around the water afterwards, but it wouldn't have much to do with anything if something did happen to him then. It wouldn't have affected him any more than one beer would have.
That is so suspicious. What is wrong with them?!. Diphenhydramine?. Come on. An over the counter allergy medication. Really?. I take 3 prescription allergy meds. People can abuse Diphenhydramine, But I doubt that is the case here. Did they say elevated levels?. Not that I saw.
Levels so elevated it was lethal. The wife mentioned Benedryl in the 911 call to CYA knowing it would show up in the toxicology. Detective investigated a missing person case only. No criminal investigation with all the glearing evidence of a homicide.
 

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