Press Releases

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…

Cause and Manner of Death Determined for Carrie Romney

 Cause and Manner of Death Determined for Carrie Romney 150 150 County of Los Angeles Medical Examiner

December 9, 2025 – The County of Los Angeles Department of Medical Examiner (DME) determined the cause of death for 64-year-old Carrie Elizabeth Romney to be blunt traumatic injuries. The fatal injury occurred after falling from the rooftop of a parking structure in Valencia. Death was pronounced on October 10 at 20:37 hours by responding…

Statement on Medical Examiner Case Number 2025-14252

 Statement on Medical Examiner Case Number 2025-14252 150 150 County of Los Angeles Medical Examiner

November 24, 2025 – At 10:54 a.m. on Friday, November 21, 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 number 2025-14252, Celeste Rivas Hernandez. No records or details associated with the case,…

WILDFIRES UPDATE | 31st Death Related to the January Wildfires Confirmed

 WILDFIRES UPDATE | 31st Death Related to the January Wildfires Confirmed 150 150 County of Los Angeles Medical Examiner

July 22, 2025 – The County of Los Angeles Department of Medical Examiner (DME) Special Operations Response Team (SORT) responded yesterday to the 10 block of La Venezia Court in Altadena to investigate possible human remains found there. SORT investigated and determined the remains were human. The death toll related to the wildfires is now…

Cause and Manner of Death Determined for Lucrecia Macias Barajas and Fredy Pojoy Sajqui

 Cause and Manner of Death Determined for Lucrecia Macias Barajas and Fredy Pojoy Sajqui 150 150 County of Los Angeles Medical Examiner

July 9, 2025 – The County of Los Angeles Department of Medical Examiner (DME) determined the cause of death for 46-year-old Lucrecia Macias Barajas and 39-year-old Fredy Pojoy Sajqui as the effects of fentanyl and methamphetamine. The manner of death is accident.   Both Ms. Macias Barajas and Mr. Pojoy Sajqui were found unresponsive inside a…

Cause and Manner of Death Determined for Philip Enewally

 Cause and Manner of Death Determined for Philip Enewally 150 150 County of Los Angeles Medical Examiner

June 10, 2025 – The County of Los Angeles Department of Medical Examiner (DME) determined the cause of death of 26-year-old YouTuber Philip Enewally was sudden cardiac dysfunction due to solitary papillary muscle hypertrophy. Solitary papillary muscle hypertrophy is a subtype of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, which is a risk factor for a sudden fatal cardiac event.…

Cause and Manner of Death Determined for Jesus Guerrero, Jr.

 Cause and Manner of Death Determined for Jesus Guerrero, Jr. 150 150 County of Los Angeles Medical Examiner

June 2, 2025 – The County of Los Angeles Department of Medical Examiner (DME) determined the cause of death for 34-year-old celebrity hairstylist Jesus Guerrero, Jr. as Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia and disseminated Cryptococcus neoformans due to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. Pneumocystis jirovecii and Cryptococcus neoformans are fungal organisms that can cause severe infections in people with…