The United States scientist who supposedly killed himself this week apparently did it because police investigators were very close to discover and charge him in connection with a series of deadly anthrax attacks in 2001 in the aftermath of the terrorist attack which led to the collapse of the World Trade Center’s Twin Towers.

Police officials identified the man as Bruce Ivins, a 62-year-old scientist who worked the last 18 years at government biodefense research laboratories at nearby Fort Detrick, Maryland. The man took his life Tuesday by swallowing an overdose of painkillers (Tylenol with codeine).

Nevertheless, according to his lawyer, Paul Kemp, Ivins had cooperated with the government's anthrax investigation for the past six years and his innocence would have been surely established at the trial.

"The relentless pressure of accusation and innuendo takes its toll in different ways on different people, as has already been seen in this investigation. In Dr. Ivins' case, it led to his untimely death," said Kemp.

Mr. Kemp was probably referring to Steven J. Hatfill, the first scientist who filed suit against the government in the anthrax case. The respected scientist obtained a $4.6 million settlement from the government in June after he accused the FBI and the Justice Department of demolishing his career and personal life.

Ivins was a much respected microbiologist who had worked for many years to design a better anthrax vaccine. Unfortunately, he died in a Frederick hospital on Tuesday leaving behind a grieving family and a lot of question marks in the case of the anthrax mystery.

Ivins’ apparent suicide is a dramatic turn in one of the major criminal investigations in U.S. history. The anthrax attack came after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and killed 5 people, sickened 17 others and caused panic throughout the nation. It was the only deadly biological attack to take place on U.S. soil and it has caused severe disruption to the postal service.