Autopsy rules Ayer's death a homicide; detectives disclose methamphetamine level

Detective Papix told the public that forensic pathologist Nathan Schaller, M.D., conducted an autopsy on Bruce Ayer and identified two gunshot wounds to the chest with front-to-back trajectories and exits. "Cause of death was listed as multiple gunshot wounds, and manner of death was ruled a homicide," the detective said during the review.

Papix also presented partial toxicology results showing methamphetamine at 180 nanograms per milliliter. He relayed lab context that, according to the testing lab, methamphetamine concentrations associated with violent or irrational behavior are commonly in the 200 600 ng/mL range, and said toxicology was included to provide behavioral context for investigators but did not itself determine cause. The autopsy included photographic documentation of wound locations and trajectories and was observed by detectives as part of routine forensic procedures.