Dr. Cyril Wecht, a pathologist and former coroner who was hired by Anna Nicole and signed Daniel’s death certificate says drugs may have killed Daniel Smith.
Wecht is the disgraced former Allegheny County coroner who Federal prosecutors in Pittsburgh have accused of using his public office for private gain. He is charged with 84 counts of mail fraud, wire fraud and theft of services. A perfect candidate if one were interested in covering up a mysterious death in The Bahamas.
Wecht – who has previously worked on investigations into other controversial deaths such as Elvis Presley and John F. Kennedy – ruled out a number of potential natural causes in the Smith case, including heart disease, cancer, systemic infection or a pulmonary embolism.
Daniel Smith, 20, was found dead on a chair while visiting his mother in a hospital situated on the Caribbean islands of The Bahamas last week, three days after she gave birth to his baby sister.
Wecht also concurred with medical experts who carried out the initial autopsy last week that foul play was not suspected.
He said: “I find nothing to suggest to me any kind of foul play.
“I think that we have a tragic death of a young man and ultimately the cause is going to be determined.”
“It could be a drug-related death of an accidental nature.” Dr. Wecht, however, disagrees with the Coroner of the Bahamas who claims the cause of death has been established to a certainty.
An official connected with the investigation says that the drugs in question “were prescription, not illegal.” The source added that Daniel had “a combination” of anti-depressants and other prescriptions in his system, although it is understood that Daniel had only one legal prescription in his name at the time of his death.
Unsubstantiated rumours on the street are that Daniel allegedly died after injesting illegal drugs that may have been supplied by someone close to the Bahamas government. Sources speculate that the illegal drugs may have mixed with Daniel’s prescription medication causing a fatal reaction.
The rumours are fueled by the fact that the results of the toxicology report have been delayed twice and will not be made public, the Coroner was dismissed, the coroner’s inquest was cancelled and a disreputable ‘freelance’ coroner may have been brought in from the US to perhaps create a more palatable story as to how Daniel died.
Dr. Wecht says he and another pathologist, Dr. Golinda Raju, both have determined that Daniel’s cause of death is unknown, pending the final toxicology report. In sharp contrast, Coroner Linda Virgill says, “I stand firm that the cause of death is known.”
Dr. Wecht went after Virgill, saying, “Do you want to believe the two pathologists or a non-physician. I don’t know what she’s talking about.” He reiterated, “I’m telling you I don’t know the cause of death. I don’t know.” Dr. Wecht, who was clearly upset over Virgill’s comments, peppered his comments with expletives.
Virgill would not reveal the specific cause of death, though she insists it was firmly established last week. She did, however, say, “The toxicology report is very important here.”
Anna Nicole’s attorney, Michael Scott, who accompanied Wecht to the autopsy, said: “Anna Nicole is doing well, she is getting better and wants everyone to stop jumping to conclusions.”
A jury inquest scheduled for October 23 has been cancelled by the Bahamas government.
