The homeless man who was found dead on campus in January was
confirmed to have died of natural causes by the Los Angeles
Coroner’s Office on Tuesday.
The man was identified as Laverne Brewer. He was 59.
The coroner’s report showed that Brewer had died from
atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and other contributing
health factors such as alcoholic cirrhosis, damage to the liver
caused by a history of alcoholic consumption.
Brewer’s body had been in a state of moderate
decomposition at the time of its discovery, suggesting that he had
been dead for some time. He was found on a mattress under an old
sleeping bag in the bushes on the northeast side of campus near
Hilgard Avenue.
It was also possible that he had a head injury but because of
the decomposition, it was difficult to diagnose the death as being
caused by trauma, said Dave Campbell, Decedent Services captain of
the Coroner’s Office.
“We are very careful with cases that might obscure
trauma,” Campbell said.
The case was treated as a possible homicide to ensure that the
highest level of examination would take place, Campbell said.
Brewer also had a mysterious pre-existing hole in his head which
was later found to be due to a medical procedure he had undergone
three years ago at Veterans Administration Hospital.
The hospital provided record information that allowed the
Coroner’s Office to contact Brewer’s brother and inform
him of Brewer’s passing. The family has since retrieved the
body.