A man who was found dead in the back of his SUV at Snowslide Campground last week died from a heart problem.
While La Plata County Coroner Jann Smith did not release the identity of the man on Thursday, she said it is believed the man died from atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Smith said the man’s arteries were calcified while examining the heart, indicating he suffered from the disease.
La Plata County Sheriff’s Office investigators are confident they have identified the man but are awaiting confirmation from who they believe is the man’s brother before releasing a name. Smith said while investigators are pretty sure they have the correct person, she doesn’t have enough evidence of the man’s identification to sign a death certificate.
Officers did not find identification on the man when he was discovered on July 11.
Sheriff’s Office spokesman Chris Burke said body decomposition is another reason why it has been difficult to make a positive identification of the man.
The man was found dead about 9:30 a.m. July 11 by a campground staff member who was concerned after they had not seen him since checking in at Snowslide two days earlier. He was found in the back of an older Chevrolet Suburban that had Texas license plates.
Investigators were careful not to identify the man based on license plate information in case the car did not belong to him.
The man had been dead for at least a day or two before he was found, Smith said last week.
Foul play has been ruled out.
tbrown@durangoherald.com
