LA County Coroner Technician Found Dead on Day of Breitbart Autopsy Release

On April 20, 2012, veteran Los Angeles County coroner forensic technician Michael Cormier was found dead at the age of 61. His death coincided with the same day that city officials released their preliminary autopsy report on conservative media figure Andrew Breitbart, who had died suddenly on March 1, 2012, at age 43.

Initial reports indicated that Cormier had been seemingly healthy before being suddenly stricken with a fatal condition. Los Angeles Police Department detectives opened an investigation into the possibility that Cormier had been poisoned with arsenic.

Police Did Not Rule Out Foul Play

Lt. Alan Hamilton of the LAPD stated at the time: “At this point we haven’t ruled out foul play. It is one of the things being considered. We are waiting for the coroner’s results.” Sources speaking on condition of anonymity noted that the detection of poison did not automatically indicate homicide, as the substance could have entered his system accidentally. A toxicology report was expected between late May and early June 2012.

Breitbart’s Death and the Delayed Autopsy

Andrew Breitbart had died on March 1, 2012, with city authorities issuing an unusually swift announcement attributing his death to natural causes. However, the full autopsy process moved at a notably slower pace. The preliminary coroner’s report, released nearly two months later, concluded that Breitbart had died of heart failure. A negligible amount of alcohol was found in his system, but no prescription or illicit drugs were detected.

The Context Surrounding Breitbart’s Final Days

Breitbart’s death occurred at a politically charged moment. He had publicly announced plans to release what he described as significant video footage of Barack Obama from the president’s earlier years. Some footage was published by his organization in the days following his death, though observers generally assessed it as less consequential than Breitbart had suggested it would be.

Breitbart had also been preparing to unveil a redesigned format for his media platform and had recently met with Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s investigative team in Phoenix regarding questions about presidential documentation.

Two Sudden Deaths, Lingering Questions

The proximity of Cormier’s death to the release of Breitbart’s autopsy results generated considerable public speculation. While the LAPD investigation proceeded through official channels, the confluence of events — a prominent media figure’s sudden death, a delayed autopsy, and the death of a coroner’s office employee on the day those results were released — remained a subject of ongoing discussion. The final, definitive findings on both cases were awaited by the public at the time these events unfolded.