What's the most tactful way to tell someone they've lost a loved one?

The reason I ask is because when my mother committed suicide in 2015, my family wouldn't tell me how she died, so I called the police station in the city she lived in and asked to speak with the homicide detective who worked her case. He flat out said, "Your mother put a .38 caliber snub nosed Smith and Wesson revolver in her mouth and shot herself while sitting on her bed." That was the end of the conversation (and I will never forget exactly how he said it to me). Being honest, I appreciated him telling me the truth, and it made me understand why my family wouldn't tell me. But is there a better way to deliver that type of information to someone or is being bluntly honest the best way. Sorry for a question some may find difficult.