(L.A.) Curley Sloss III, 66, Killed by Physiological Stress

Case Number: 2012-04267

Los Angeles County is reporting the death of a 66-year-old male that occurred in a hospital.

The coroner’s office has identified the man as Curley Sloss III who passed away in Culver City.

Manner of Death: Homicide

Cause of Death A: Sudden Cardiac Death

Cause of Death B: Extreme Physiological Stress

Cause of Death C: Severe Coronary Artery Disease

RIP CURLEY SLOSS III (July 4, 1945 – June 28, 2012)

TThis is one of only two cases in the ME/C’s public database where a suspect killed a man by giving him a heart attack via physiological stress.

Acute episode of emotional distress (and notably anger-like stress) may trigger ventricular ectopic beats and tachycardia, as well as acute myocardial infarction. These sudden phenomena can be the result of the endogenous response to external risk of acute emotional stress. Sudden death without antecedent angina, suggesting cardiac arrhythmia, as well as deaths preceded by chest pain, suggesting coronary occlusion, were observed in many studies that have led to estimates that between 20 and 40 percent of sudden cardiac deaths are precipitated by acute emotional stressors.