David Oliver Relin, co-author of the bestselling book “Three Cups of Tea” about building schools in Afghanistan and Pakistan, recently killed himself, the AP reported on Monday.
Relin killed himself in the rural community of Corbett near Portland last month, according to the deputy Multnomah County medical examiner, Peter Bellant, who confirmed the death on Sunday. He was 49.
Relin died of a blunt force head injury on Nov. 14, Bellant said. Neither he nor Relin’s family would provide details of his death.
His body was found along railroad tracks running along the Columbia River where a rural road passes over the tracks and Interstate 84, said Multnomah County sheriff’s Lt. Derrick Peterson.
Relin felt that his career was damaged by the allegations about falsehoods in the book.
The account came under scrutiny last year when “60 Minutes” and writer Jon Krakauer said it contained numerous falsehoods.
[Co-author Greg] Mortenson denied any wrongdoing, though he has acknowledged some of the events were compressed over different periods of time.
