Mere hours before he tragically ended his own life, multimillionaire Joshua Pack had a devastating row with wife Jacqueline, following an issue with his plane tickets
The wife of deceased multimillionaire Joshua Pack has spoken out about the moment she “collapsed” after learning her high school sweetheart had been found dead – mere hours after a devastating row.
Joshua, 51, died on September 29, 2025 at his rented mansion in St John’s Wood, Westminster. Following an inquest at Inner West London Coroner’s Court, HM Senior Coroner, Professor Fiona Wilcox recorded a conclusion of death by misadventure. While satisfied that Joshua had ended his own life, she ruled there was insufficient evidence of intent to conclude it was a suicide.
The court heard emotional testimony from Joshua’s wife Jacqueline, regarding the “tensions” that erupted their final hours, after an issue with plane tickets escalated into a full-blown “shouting match”.
Joshua and Jacqueline, who were in the process of moving to the UK from the US, had been married for 28 years. Joshua had been tasked with leading the European expansion of Fortress, a private equity giant valued at 37billion, which owns a number of brands, such as Majestic Wine and Poundstretcher.
In a written statement, Jacqueline described the night leading up to the tragedy. The couple had been “rowing all night” and drinking “on and off throughout the day.” She noted: “She explained: “We were high school sweethearts. Josh was a devout Catholic who worked so hard to support me and the children, the most important thing in his life. But there were tensions, as in any long-term marriage.”
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‘Screaming match’ with his wife
The row intensified when Joshua learned his travel plans to return to the US had hit a snag. Jacqueline recalled that once they returned to their St John’s Wood home, Joshua threw her phone and began hitting himself with it. In a moment of extreme distress, he reportedly took a knife from a cupboard and asked her to “stick it into me.”
Jacqueline testified that while they both made impulsive threats to end their lives during arguments, it was a frequent occurrence and she never believed he, or she, meant it.
Cleaners testified to the police that they had heard the pair “rowing all night” and “screaming and swearing at each other” late into the day before Joshua passed away.
Final text
The last communication sent from Joshua’s phone was a message at midnight arranging a morning pick-up for the airport. Sadly, he would never make that flight.
The next morning, Jacqueline awoke unsure if her husband was still in the house. After failing to reach him, she was told by his PA that he had already checked in for his flight to Texas. Unbeknownst to her, the airline had automatically checked him in.
Believing he was already at the airport, Jacqueline headed there herself. However, growing uneasy about a locked upstairs bedroom, she messaged her staff to break the door down if necessary.
As reported by the Daily Mail, Jacqueline recalled: “In the airport lounge, the housekeeper called me. I asked if Josh was dead and she said yes. I collapsed. Josh was my best friend and I don’t believe he would have wanted to end his life.”
Devastating discovery
Joshua’s body was discovered by cleaners in a locked top-floor bedroom. Officers found “no evidence of third-party involvement”, or prior planning. The inquest heard how the housekeeper, driver and PA had raced to stop Jacqueline boarding the plane.
Prof Fiona Wilcox told the court: “I take into account the past history of impulsive behaviour, the fact that Joshua was jet-lagged, had got exceptionally upset after an argument, was under stress from the enormous deal at work, and had been drinking.” She also noted that Joshua has previously lost a brother to suicide.
‘Humble beginnings’
According to an obituary published on Legacy.com, successful businessman Joshua came from ‘humble beginnings’. He and Jacqueline met during a history class at Rancho Buena Vista High School, near San Diego.
The pair married shortly after attending university, and Joshua rose through the ranks of the finance world, joining Fortress in 2002. A graduate of the United States Air Force Academy, he was remembered “for his kindness, generosity, and commitment to serving other people.”
He was said to have been particularly “dedicated to finding cures for type 1 Diabetes and breast cancer”.
A tribute from Fortress read: “Josh Pack was one of the very first members of our team. Over 23 years, he shared his leadership, investment prowess, and friendship with us, and left an indelible mark on our organisation. We will forever be inspired by his unrelenting focus on our franchise, as well as his humour and his devotion to family.”
For emotional support you can call the Samaritans 24-hour helpline on 116 123, email jo@samaritans.org, visit a Samaritans branch in person or go to the Samaritans website.
Do you have a story to share? Email me at julia.banim@reachplc.com
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