A gay Black man who was pronounced dead in May after being found facedown on a Washington, D.C., street died of “acute ethanol intoxication” in what was ruled an accidental death, officials said Friday.
The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner for the District of Columbia said “hypertensive and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease,” a heart condition associated with high blood pressure, and “end stage renal disease of unknown etiology,” which refers to kidney conditions, also contributed to Ernest Terrell Newkirk’s death.
The Washington Blade first reported news of the medical examiner’s findings.
Newkirk, 55, was pronounced dead on May 28, hours after telling his longtime partner, Roger Turpin, that he was driving home from a Black Pride event at the Ugly Mug bar in D.C. He was found without his phone, wallet or jewelry, and his car was recovered a week later a mile from where his body had been. Turpin was notified about Newkirk’s death two days later.
Newkirk had lived in Washington since the 1990s and previously worked as a chef for the NBA’s Washington Wizards at Capital One Arena. He also owned a landscaping business and was deeply involved with the local LGBTQ community.
Turpin did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The Metropolitan Police Department confirmed that an investigation is ongoing but did not immediately respond to specific questions about the medical examiner’s findings.
The department previously told NBC News that “Mr. Newkirk’s death does not appear to be a result of foul play.”
