When Dean Reed died, it was officially determined suicide. which is why everyone thought the Secret Police did it. I think that the note is not new, and had been dismissed as a forgery those who believe the KGB killed him--it most likely has been dredged up as part of the advance publicity for this movie--

Dean Reed did show up on the radar--or, more precisely, on CBS Sixty Minutes, in I think, about 1981--He apparently was rather condescending and arrogant, and made quite an impression--

Unfortunately, after his career went into decline, mostly because Communist Block audiences were able to listen to real rock and roll via black market recordings and Western radio--He wanted to come back to the US, and believed that he could start a career here--unfortunately, owing to his 60 Minutes interview, the State Department wasn't exactly eager to let him come back--Those who think that he killed himself tend to think this was the reason--

Let no one be deceived: he was not a "Red Elvis"--he wasn't really even a rock and roller--what he really was was a fifties/early sixties folkie--he played old American songs, like Cindy, and When the Saints Go Marching In, with the usual mix of John Denver tunes, the odd mainsteam pop song,and some original tunes, like Nobody Knows Me Back In My Hometown, and Deano Loves You, Baby--

If he was alive today, he'd probably be a Mudcatter--