Crime & Safety
Cause of Death Determined for Decaying Body
A gunshot wound to the chest is the cause of death, but the exact identity of a man found decaying in an SUV June 9 hasn't been determined.
A man found dead in the rear of a Cadillac Escalade died from a gunshot wound to his chest, but his name has not been determined, the coroner's office announced today.
The next step could be to take DNA samples from the remains and compare them with relatives of the person to whom the Escalade is registered, coroner's Lt. Joe Bale said. Dental records could also be used, Bale said.
Despite the advanced state of decomposition of the remains, investigators were able to determine the cause of death.
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A stench coming from the car, which was parked near Willoughby and Genesee avenues, prompted someone to call police about 10 a.m. Saturday, according to Los Angeles police.
Authorities did not say who the vehicle was registered to. It was found
next to the city limit between Los Angeles and West Hollywood, two blocks
northeast of Fairfax High School.
