Press Releases

Cause and Manner of Death Determined for Brandon Clarke

 Cause and Manner of Death Determined for Brandon Clarke 150 150 County of Los Angeles Medical Examiner

August 7, 2026 – The County of Los Angeles Department of Medical Examiner (DME) determined the cause and manner of death for 29-year-old professional basketball player Brandon Clarke as the effects of heroin and cocaine. The manner of death is accident. According to reports, around 1700 hours on May 11, 2026, Mr. Clarke was found…

Cause and Manner of Death Determined for Bryan Bostic

 Cause and Manner of Death Determined for Bryan Bostic 150 150 County of Los Angeles Medical Examiner

May 28, 2026 – The County of Los Angeles Department of Medical Examiner (DME) determined the cause and manner of death for 37-year-old Bryan Bostic as the effects of methamphetamine. The manner of death is accident. According to reports, around 21:25 hours on March 10, officers from the Inglewood Police Department conducted a traffic stop…

Cause and Manner of Death Determined for Khimberly Alexandra Zavaletachuquipa

 Cause and Manner of Death Determined for Khimberly Alexandra Zavaletachuquipa 150 150 County of Los Angeles Medical Examiner

May 19, 2026 – The County of Los Angeles Department of Medical Examiner (DME) determined the cause and manner of death for 12-year-old Khimberly Alexandra Zavaletachuquipa as spontaneously ruptured cerebellar arteriovenous malformation (AVM). The manner of death is natural. According to reports, on February 17, Ms. Zavaletachuquipa was struck in the back of the head…

Cause and Manner of Death Determination for Celeste Rivas Hernandez

 Cause and Manner of Death Determination for Celeste Rivas Hernandez 150 150 County of Los Angeles Medical Examiner

April 22, 2026 – The County of Los Angeles Department of Medical Examiner (DME) determined the cause and manner of death for 15-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez as multiple penetrating injuries caused by object(s). The manner of death is homicide. Ms. Rivas Hernandez was discovered at 1100 hours on September 8, 2025, in the front trunk…

Statement re: Plea Deal of Former Medical Examiner Investigator

 Statement re: Plea Deal of Former Medical Examiner Investigator 150 150 County of Los Angeles Medical Examiner

April 10, 2026 – The County of Los Angeles Department of Medical Examiner was informed today of the plea deal reached in the case involving a former medical examiner investigator. “The Department of Medical Examiner has a duty to provide the utmost care for the deceased, including their personal property,” Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Odey Ukpo said. “I stand committed…

Statement re: Human Remains Found in Long Beach

 Statement re: Human Remains Found in Long Beach 150 150 County of Los Angeles Medical Examiner

April 6, 2026 – The County of Los Angeles Department of Medical Examiner (DME) responded this morning to the 100 block of East Osgood Street in Long Beach after being notified yesterday of the discovery of possible human remains. Members from the DME’s Special Operations Response Team (SORT) recovered a skeletonized human skull and mandible…

Cause and Manner of Death Determined for Emily Beutner

 Cause and Manner of Death Determined for Emily Beutner 150 150 County of Los Angeles Medical Examiner

March 20, 2026 – The County of Los Angeles Department of Medical Examiner (DME) determined the cause of death for 22-year-old Emily Beutner as effects of mitragynine, 7-hydroxymitragynine, quetiapine, and mirtazapine. The manner of death is suicide.   Shortly after midnight on January 6, 2026, Los Angeles County Fire Department personnel responded to a field near the intersection of Sierra Highway and Technology Drive in Palmdale and found Ms.…

Cause and Manner of Death Determined for Officer Miguel Cano

 Cause and Manner of Death Determined for Officer Miguel Cano 150 150 County of Los Angeles Medical Examiner

February 23, 2026 – The County of Los Angeles Department of Medical Examiner (DME) determined the cause of death for 34-year-old California Highway Patrol (CHP) officer Miguel Cano as the effects of fentanyl. The time and route of how the fentanyl was introduced into Officer Cano’s system is unknown and cannot be determined. The manner…

County of Los Angeles Department of Medical Examiner Regains Full Accreditation

 County of Los Angeles Department of Medical Examiner Regains Full Accreditation 940 788 County of Los Angeles Medical Examiner

January 28, 2026 – Full accreditation is restored to the County of Los Angeles Department of Medical Examiner (DME) from the National Association of Medical Examiners (NAME), following nearly a decade under provisional accreditation.  The DME lost its full accreditation in 2016 due to changes in criteria needed to sustain the full accreditation, which was further affected by the pandemic as the case load increased and staffing shortages emerged.   The DME responded with smarter approaches, efficiencies and perseverance to meet…

Statement on Medical Examiner Case Numbers 2025-19480 and 2025-19481

 Statement on Medical Examiner Case Numbers 2025-19480 and 2025-19481 150 150 County of Los Angeles Medical Examiner

December 29, 2025 – On December 24 at 10:30 a.m., the County of Los Angeles Department of Medical Examiner (Department) received a court order, initiated by the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), to place a security hold on Medical Examiner case numbers 2025-19480 and 2025-19481, Robert and Michele Reiner. While the cause and manner of…