I asked Bing AI for an alternate explanation. This sounds plausible....

One possible alternative explanation for the deaths of the four current or former Los Angeles sheriff's officials is that they were murdered by someone who wanted to silence them or take revenge on them. This could be a criminal, a rival, a whistleblower, or a corrupt colleague who had a motive to kill them. The article from the Los Angeles Times¹ mentions that the sheriff's department has been under scrutiny for allegations of misconduct, corruption, and abuse of power. Some of the victims may have been involved in or aware of these issues and posed a threat to someone who wanted to cover them up. The article also states that the deaths are unrelated to one another, but this could be a false claim to divert attention from a possible connection or pattern. The article does not provide any details about the methods, locations, or circumstances of the suicides, which could indicate a lack of transparency or evidence. The article also does not mention any suicide notes or messages left by the victims, which could suggest that they did not intend to end their lives. These are some of the factors that could support a murder hypothesis, but they are not conclusive and require further investigation.