Police rule out suicide and say there is currently no evidence to suggest Angels pitcher Tyler Skaggs died from an overdose as they continue to comb hotel room for clues to his death
- The Los Angeles Angels pitcher, 27, was found dead in his room at the Hilton Southlake hotel on Monday
- A report in Skaggs’ local paper, the Santa Monica Observer, on Wednesday suggested he died from an opioid overdose but the story was shot down by cops
- Police told DailyMail.com that they do not ‘have any information to suggest’ he died of a drug overdose
Police in Texas have told DailyMail.com that they do not ‘have any information to suggest’ tragic baseball star Tyler Skaggs died of a drug overdose.
The Los Angeles Angels pitcher was found dead in his room at the Hilton Southlake hotel on Monday – hours before his team was due to take to the field against the Texas Rangers.
A report in Skaggs’ local paper, the Santa Monica Observer, on Wednesday suggested that the newlywed had died from an opioid overdose but the story was shot down by police.
Today a spokeswoman for the Southlake Police Department told DailyMail.com: ‘I have no information to suggest an overdose and I’m not sure where they [the Santa Monica Observer] would have got that information.’
Police also insisted that they had seen no evidence of foul play and do not believe the 27-year-old killed himself, saying in a separate statement: ‘At this very early part of the death investigation, we do not believe suicide is the cause of death at this time.’
Tyler Skaggs was found unresponsive in his hotel room near Dallas on Monday. Photo above shows him pitching during the first inning against the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium on June 23
The Los Angeles Angels pitcher, 27, was found dead in his room at the Hilton Southlake hotel on Monday
At the Hilton Southlake, staff told DailyMail.com that Skaggs’ Angels teammates checked out shortly after the tragedy and are staying elsewhere while they complete their head-to-head with the Rangers.
One staff member, who asked not to be named, said the room where Skaggs died will not be rented out anytime soon and said all of her colleagues had found the incident very upsetting.
She added: ‘Everyone is very upset by what happened. The room [where he died] is closed down – they can’t rent it out any time soon because the police are still looking at it.’
Interior of the Hilton Southlake Town Square Hotel where Tyler Skaggs was staying when he died
Following the unexplained death of pitcher Tyler Skaggs, a spokesperson for the Los Angeles Angels has publicly refuted a speculative story in the 27-year-old’s hometown paper that suggested he may have died from a drug overdose. The Santa Monica Observer replied that ‘the story makes it clear the author is speculating…’
Earlier Wednesday Angels spokeswoman Marie Garvey blasted the Santa Monica Observer story saying: ‘This article is categorically incorrect. The cause of death is still under investigation. This sort of reckless reporting from Tyler’s hometown paper is disappointing and harmful.’
The initial autopsy on Skaggs’ remains took place on Tuesday morning in Fort Worth, Texas.
Carol Walker, of the Tarrant County Medical Examiner, said her department is still waiting for toxicology and other tests to be completed.
She told DailyMail.com: ‘The cause of death is pending right now. The doctor is still doing tests so we really cannot say what the cause of death is at this moment.
‘It could take up to 90 days for the results to come back.’
Newlyweds: Tyler is pictured with wife Carli on their wedding day last year
Skaggs’ family, including his new wife Carli Miles, have asked that the results are not released until a full autopsy has been completed.
The Angels are due to play a further two games against the Rangers – on Wednesday and Thursday – before returning to Los Angeles.
On Wednesday morning, a small selection of bouquets could be seen lining the sidewalk outside the Rangers’ Globe Life Park stadium in Arlington, Texas.
The paper has since deleted much of the speculation within the article, but some potential clues about the original copy were found in the comment section and on social media. One Twitter user posted an excerpt purportedly from the original version of the article (above)