No, he did not. This is literally false. Someone who claims they are a "close family friend" who talked with him occasionally "at get-togethers, birthdays, celebrations and whatnot" told a local news affiliate that he told her that in private.
Which is something quite different from him personally reaching out to the local news affiliate and telling them that.
Not to be cynical or make any claim about this particular case, but if a person were going to commit suicide as a kind of FU to someone, then it seems like making this kind of statement before adds an extra layer of FU.
