Police Visit Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar's Home
Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar were visited by Arkansas police over the weekend. TMZ, citing a police report, confirmed Wednesday that officers from the Arkansas Police Department were dispatched to the Duggar family compound at around 8:30 a.m. Sunday, June 25 for a "follow-up investigation" following the death of Jim Bob's uncle, Tommy
Lester, who passed away earlier that morning of a heart attack at the age of 75.
Lester passed away Sunday morning after having fallen ill the night prior, his husband Lawrence told police. Lester reportedly fell over multiple times Saturday night, but refused to go to the hospital because he was afraid he'd be put in a nursing home. Lawrence explained that on the morning of June 25, he heard his husband call for help from the bathroom and found him unresponsive collapsed against the door. Lester was pronounced dead at home, with his cause of death listed as natural causes.
Approximately two hours after Lester's passing, officers arrived at the Arkansas property to speak with the former Counting On. At this time, not much is known about the visit, but TMZ noted that it was "puzzling," as police typically don't visit family other than next of kin to inform them of a death. At this time, no one in the Duggar family has commented on the Sunday police visit, and the Washington County Sheriff's Office has not offered clarification.
According to MEAWW, Lester Jim Bob's mother Mary Duggar's younger brother. Mary had three siblings – Lester, Connie Beard, and Billy Lester. Not much more is known about Lester, though he was an out gay men who was married to his husband Lawrence. Without A Crystal Ball reported that the Duggars did not have an amicable relationship with Lester, and Amy Duggar told the outlet that the Duggar family has been estranged from Lester for decades.
The Sunday police visit to the Duggar home marked just the latest run-in with the law for the Duggar family. Jim Bob and Michelle's oldest son, Josh Duggar, is currently serving a more than 12 year prison sentence after he was convicted of receiving and possessing child pornography charges. Back in December 2021, Jana Duggar was charged with endangering the welfare of a minor. She pleaded not guilty to the charge, and in January 2022, the case was settled outside of court. Addressing the charge in a statement, Jana said it was a simple "accident," explaining that she was babysitting when "one of the children wandered outside alone." The child was not harmed and a "passerby who saw the child called the police."