(L.A.) Mark Smythe, 53, Died on a Hiking Trail 🥕
Case Number: 2026-07549
Los Angeles County is reporting the death of a 53-year-old White/Caucasian male that occurred on a hiking trail at Mount Wilson.
The coroner’s office identified the man as Mark Smythe. He was a film composer originally from New Zealand who also served as Department Chair of Composing for Visual Media at the L.A. College of Music in Pasadena.
Manner of Death: Natural
Cause of Death: Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease
This was either a heart attack or cardiac arrest.
RIP MARK SMYTHE (October 6, 1972 – May 9, 2026)
Formal pronouncement of death was made on Saturday.
Authorities received a call at around 10:00 a.m. about a hiker experiencing a medical emergency. Sierra Madre Search & Rescue, Sierra Madre PD, and Arcadia PD responded.
On May 2, a 66-year-old hiker died in the same area, but from an accident.
Tattooed individuals have been shown to have an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.
journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0319229
Among the tattooed participants who experienced cardiovascular events (heart attack or heart failure), tattooing extent was predominantly small and medium, with only one case involving a large tattoo.