Crime & Safety
Coroner’s Department: Elderly Beating Victim Died of Natural Causes
An autopsy was conducted on 89-year-old David C. Martinez Tuesday after he died Saturday following an alleged beating three weeks ago on an MTA bus near Culver City.
The Los Angeles County Coroner’s Department conducted an autopsy on an 89-year-old man Tuesday, and determined that he died of natural causes.
David. C Martinez died on Nov. 10 at Cedars Sinai Medical Center, following an alleged beating three weeks earlier on an MTA bus on Venice Boulevard and Main Street in Culver City on Oct. 21.
The Coroner’s Department stated that Martinez died of hypertension and atherosclerosis, and not as a result of the alleged beating.
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Over the weekend, Sheriff’s Department Spokesman Steve Whitmore said Martinez was treated at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center at the time of the alleged attack, but left the hospital. He checked himself back in to Cedars-Sinai last Tuesday, and died at 5:30 a.m. Saturday.
Luke Schoedel, 35, was arrested at the scene of the attack three Sundays ago, a sheriff's spokesman said. He was booked for felony assault and felony elder abuse and remained jailed in lieu of $80,000 bail, according to jail records.
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Schoedel will be arraigned Dec. 11 at the Airport Court near Los Angeles International Airport.
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