Video catches investigator taking gold crucifix from dead man, California officials say

An investigator with the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office is accused of stealing belongings from the dead, California authorities say.

Adrian Muñoz, 34, who has been with the office for five years, faces theft charges in two cases he handled, the District Attorney’s Office said in a Wednesday, Nov. 8, news release.

On Jan. 6, Muñoz responded to a case of a warehouse worker who died of a heart attack on the job, the release said.

Security video caught him removing a gold crucifix necklace from the man’s neck and putting it in his medical bag, prosecutors said. He did not turn in the crucifix or list it in his report.

After the video surfaced, a search of Muñoz’s desk found a bag of rare antique coins taken from a Nov. 12, 2022, case of a man found dead, officials said.

District Attorney George Gascón called the thefts “a profound betrayal” in the release.

“The theft of items, potential family heirlooms and sentimental pieces from the deceased, not only violates this trust but desecrates the memory of a loved one,” Gascón said.

The medical examiner’s office is cooperating fully in the case, Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Odey Ukpo said in the release.

Authorities ask anyone with further information to call 1-800-222-8477.

This story was originally published November 9, 2023 at 11:38 AM with the headline "Video catches investigator taking gold crucifix from dead man, California officials say."