suicide note?
 

i have just received an email from my ex-AH, in which he states he wants to kill himself and feels very depressed. He has threatened to kill himself before, but this one looks less like a dramatic ploy at manipulation and more like a calmer, well thought out email, kind of like a suicide note. he says he doesn't want me to blame myself, but that since he was arrested (which he apparently was, a few weeks ago) he feels completely hopeless and unable to find peace for himself and that he sees death as a solution to him missing me.
basically, i think he is asking me to help him, something i am not able to do anyway, as it would me engaging in conversation with him (which, i suppose he is saying would help him). i don't know how to deal with this.
i've been NC for a while now. i don't know how to respond to this, or if i should at all. should i talk to one of his friends or something? or let it go as one of his momentary urges? i don't want to talk to him, but i don't want him to die either.

Contact the police in his area right away and tell them. You can forward the email to them. If he's serious, he will get the help he needs. If he's not - he probably won't try that with you again. Either way, you've done all you can do.

I agree with Bininiblue. All threats of suicide should be taken seriously, whether they are serious or not. Contact the police and let them deal with it.

I'm sorry you are going through this worry.

I would call the police but my AH lives in a military state. i.e. the police doesn't work the same way as it does usually. basically, social services don't work as it does in the US or Canada. do i have any other options?

If it were me, I wouldn't respond.
It seems like he is trying to draw you back into his chaos.

You can't fix depression or his addiction.
He has to choose it.

Whatever he chooses to do, it isn't your fault.
If he has family, I would forward the email to them if
you cannot go to the police.

Maybe you can alert someone who is close to your exAH about it. Tell his family or a close friend of his.

Call 911.