Official records and multiple investigations, including a detailed 2026 New York Times review of newly released documents and Epstein's own jail notes, have consistently upheld the 2019 medical examiner ruling of suicide by hanging, with evidence of prior attempts and institutional lapses at the Metropolitan Correctional Center. Ongoing congressional probes and Department of Justice file releases through 2026 have focused on associates and records rather than any indication of survival, contributing to the 97.9% trader consensus on "No." Confirmation of life before 2027 would require irrefutable new evidence, such as authenticated DNA or official verification, which remains highly improbable given the passage of over seven years without credible developments.