POCATELLO - The Pocatello Police Department released its final report Thursday on the Eric Elle disappearance/suicide, with an indication that the Pocatello man was being investigated by his employer for embezzlement.

Elle, 60, an Idaho Transportation Department employee who disappeared Sept. 8, was the focus of a massive search by various agencies, including the Idaho State Patrol, Civil Air Patrol, Pocatello Police, ITD and the Power County Sheriff's Office. Elle's body was discovered on Nov. 28 in a grove of juniper trees in a wilderness area near the Coldwater Interchange on Interstate 86.

An entry from Nov. 4 indicates that Karl Vogt, the chief legal counsel for the Idaho Transportation Department, spoke with investigators regarding Elle. The entry reads:

"(Vogt) advised that they had been doing an investigation into Elle for possible embezzlement of funds. They advised that they have found an ongoing embezzlement of cash transactions over the past several years that Elle has been involved with."

The report does not specifically indicate how Elle might have gone about embezzling funds, but earlier entries indicated that a review of paperwork filed by Elle in the six months preceding his disappearance turned up some discrepancies. An ITD employee told investigators on Sept. 18 that 30 receipts Elle had filed did not contain the signatures of customers, which an ITD administrator termed "abnormal."

Elle's work involved working with state, county and licensed dealers regarding all types of titled vehicles. The work required collection of fees on occasion.

The report notes one complaint received by ITD days before Elle's disappearance was from a Pocatello man who claimed Elle had overcharged him for the registration and title to a scooter. The man had reported he had paid Elle $91 and claimed he was overcharged by $35. Elle was asked about the discrepancy and indicated his receipt book noted the man had only paid $56. Elle indicated that $91 was the correct charge, but that he had redone the paperwork to exclude a $15 fee for a rush title and a $20 late fee. The receipt for the transaction was not signed by the customer.

The report concludes that Elle's death was consistent with suicide. A .22 Colt semi-automatic handgun was found by his body, which was discovered Nov. 28 by two coyote hunters in a grove of juniper trees in a draw just off the Coldwater area in Power County. Elle suffered a single gunshot to the head.

The report indicates a note found in Elle's state-issued vehicle stated that he was sorry for his behavior and concluded with a good-bye. A handwriting analysis found a high probability that the note was written by Elle, but noted that moisture damage made uncontroverted identification difficult.

While the report infers that all evidence is consistent with Elle taking his own life, an entry the day after Elle's body was found raises a question regarding the location of some of Elle's personal effects.

"It has been agreed at this time that we will process the vehicle a second time due to personal items which were not located on Elle, such as his identification, wallet and rings."

Members of Elle's family declined comment Thursday on the report's findings.