Jonas Bevacqua's Autopsy Inconclusive; LRG Co-Founder's Death Will Be Determined by Toxicology Test
The sudden death of well-loved LRG clothing co-founder Jonas Bevacqua at his Laguna Beach home yesterday has left many friends and fans wondering how a lively 33-year-old could be here one night, then gone the next morning.
Jonas Bevacqua founded the multimillion-dollar company LRG, outfitter to both skater punks and hip-hop royalty
The Orange County Coroner completed an autopsy on Bevacqua's body this morning to help answer that question. However, a watch commander tells the LA Weekly that the autopsy was "inconclusive," and that the coroner is now relying on a toxicology test to determine Bevacqua's cause of death.
L.A.-area toxicologist Marvin Pietruszka says that means a foreign substance was most likely involved:
He says toxicology tests are ordered when "drugs or chemicals" are suspected to be involved. This could include "any kind of poison" or a "foreign substance inside your body such as a chemical or medication."
Unfortunately, this means the mystery surrounding Bevacqua's death will be strung out a while longer. Toxicology tests usually take at least a few weeks to complete; even in Michael Jackson's high-profile overdose case, a toxicology report wasn't ready until over a month after his death.
Ben Baller, an L.A. bedazzler to the stars who says Bevacqua was his best friend, wrote the following in tribute to the fallen street-wear innovator on his website yesterday:
"I didn't take Jonas' call just about a week or so ago.... you know I wish I took that call.... but it was his time and he's in a better place.... fuck what the coroners office will say, I know what happened and I know he died peacefully. Now I have to find peace with this and I want to keep the name alive and strong..... just crazy. He leaves behind his son Ayden and his fiance'.... man, she is one of the strongest korean women I've ever met.... such a good person too. She fought and fought hard to keep shit in order too. Much love to his whole fam and his LRG family...."
On a previous Bevacqua tribute post, one of Baller's commenters wrote: "Ben had previously said he was going through some substance abuse issues.. So... damn RIP."
Orange County Sheriff's spokesman Jim Amormino noted yesterday that "there were no obvious signs of the cause" of Bevacqua's death.
R.I.P.
[@simone_electra/swilson@laweekly.com]
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