Ed Winter: LA coroner who handled top Hollywood celeb deaths including Michael Jackson dies at 73
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Ed Winter, a Deputy LA County Coroner who handled the death investigations involving some of Hollywood's biggest stars, has died, as per reports. According to law enforcement, Winter, 73, died of natural causes on Friday, March 17 at his residence in the area of Los Angeles.
Winter played a key role in several well-known deaths, including those of Whitney Houston, Brittany Murphy, Paul Walker, and many others. One of his most significant inquiries occurred after Dr Conrad Murray "fled" the UCLA Medical Center scene following Michael Jackson's death in 2009, leaving him to sign the birth certificate.
READ MORE
How did Charlbi Dean die? 'Triangle of Sadness' star died suddenly at 32
'Welcome To The Dollhouse' actor Matthew Faber dies at 47 due to natural causes
Who was Ed Winter?
Ed Winter, the Deputy LA County Coroner, was born in 1950 and was best known as "Coroner to the Stars" for his exclusive cases. He joined the Los Angeles County Coroner’s Office in the early 2000s and became in charge of investigations and death cases depicting some of the biggest names in Hollywood. A coroner is a government or judicial officer who has the power to carry out or order an investigation into the manner or cause of death as well as to look into or establish the identity of a person who has been found deceased in his or her jurisdiction.
Winter appeared in front of the cameras in cases involving Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, Brittany Murphy, Paul Walker, Tom Petty, and Corey Haim. According to Winter, Jackson allegedly had enough propofol in him "to put down a rhinoceros or an elephant."
How did Ed Winter die?
Law enforcement officials say, Winter, who examined celebrity deaths over nearly two decades of work in Tinseltown, died at his Los Angeles residence from natural causes on Friday, March 17, as reported by TMZ.
Michael Jackson's death case
In June 2009, Michael Jackson died from a fatal concoction of sedative prescription drugs. When Winter noticed injection sites on Jackson's body, he reportedly felt an instant sense of worry. Later, according to the coroner, MJ had enough of the potent surgical anaesthetic Propofol in him "to put down a rhinoceros or an elephant,' reports The Sun. Dr Conard Murray, who was supposed to sign Jackson's death certificate, allegedly "fled" the hospital after the celebrity was declared dead, according to Winter.
Winter also paid attention to Jackson's dermatologist, Dr Arnold Klein, who allegedly administered massive doses of Demerol to the celebrity almost every day, as per TMZ. According to the outlet, the late coroner ultimately learned that Jackson obtained drugs using 19 different aliases, with Klein reportedly serving as one of the primary enablers. Klein, however, was not accused of any offenses in relation to Jackson's death. In contrast, Murray was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter for unintentionally giving Jackson an excessive amount of propofol.
Whitney Houston's death case
Just a few years after the death of the King of Pop, the entertainment industry lost another well-known singer. Whitney Houston was discovered dead in a bathtub at a Beverly Hills hotel in February 2012. A drowning accident was determined to be the cause of death, with cocaine use and heart disease as contributing factors, as per Daily Beast. When Houston's body was discovered, her relatives gathered close to the scene of the crime. Winter was introduced to Dionne Warwick, Houston's cousin, who said, "I know who Ed Winter is."
Houston's death took place just a few days before Clive Davis's pre-Grammy party in 2012 which was a turning moment in Winter's career. The coroner was noticed right away because he had established himself as a TV staple.
Paul Walker's death case
Another well-known incident Winter handled was Paul Walker's horrifying death. He made an on-camera declaration that Paul Walker "died instantly" following his fatal car accident in November 2013, refuting claims that the actor was yelling for help.
Lana Clarkson's death case
The tragic death of actress and model Lana Clarkson in February 2003 was one of Winter's first death investigations. It was found out she was shot dead by music mogul Phil Spector. "She was almost stretched out with just part of her bottom on the edge of the chair. You don’t sit that way. Nobody sits that way, whether you’re shooting yourself or not," the coroner claimed at the time. He left the position in December 2019 after nearly 17 years of employment, reports The Teal Mango.
What is Ed Winter's Net Worth?
Ed Winter may have amassed a sizable fortune over the course of his 17-year tenure. Coroners typically receive an average salary of $71,650. Their yearly pay is between $38,950 and $117,500. Although Winter's exact net worth was unclear at the time of his death, it is thought that the coroner may have made about $1.7 million over the course of his career, as per The Teal Mango.