Navy SEAL Trainee's Death Ruled Homicide by Drowning: Autopsy Report

Coronado, CA — The death of a young Navy SEAL trainee in May at Naval Base Coronado has been ruled a homicide, an autopsy report reveals.

Seaman James "Derek" Lovelace, 21, was pulled from a pool May 6 during a training exercise called "drown proofing," in which prospective SEALs tread water while in uniform and wearing a diving mask, the Navy reported at the time.

On Wednesday, the Navy Times reported that an autopsy report by the San Diego County Medical Examiner's Office concluded that the cause of Lovelace's death was homicide by drowning.

It was not immediately clear whether anyone would face charges in his death.

"It is important to understand that 'homicide' refers to 'death at the hands of another' and a homicide is not inherently a crime," Naval Criminal Investigative Service spokesman Ed Buice said in a statement to the Navy Times.

"The nomenclature of the autopsy report does not signal that the Naval Criminal Investigative Service investigation into Seaman Lovelace's death has culminated, nor that conclusions have been reached regarding criminal culpability," Buice said. "The NCIS investigation is open and active and NCIS does not discuss the details of ongoing investigations."

The County of San Diego issued a statement regarding the release of the report.

"... The decedent was participating in a training exercise located in the pool area of the Naval Amphibious Base Coronado when he was seen to be in distress while in the water. The decedent was pulled from the water and was initially responsive. 911 was called and he was transported to Sharp Coronado Hospital where, despite aggressive attempts at resuscitation, death was pronounced. After a joint investigation between the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) and the Medical Examiner, the cause of death was determined to be drowning and the manner of death a homicide."

• Questions Haunt Death of Coronado Navy SEAL Trainee James Lovelace: Report

The autopsy report, posted on the Navy Times website, states, in part:

"On May 6, 2016, [Lovelace] reported to base for training regimens and completed beach and ocean-based exercises in the morning. In the afternoon, he reported to the Naval Amphibious Base for a pool exercise. The sailors were briefed on the exercise, entitled 'Combat Swimmer Orientation,' and safety measures. The training consisted of swimming and treading water in fatigues and boots, with their masks filled with water. Instructors in the water splash, make waves, and yell at the students in order to create an 'adverse' environment. They are not to dunk or pull the students under the water. Multiple students and instructors were in the water, and additional instructors were on the edges of the pool and on dive platforms observing.

"Video surveillance footage of the pool showing the training exercise was reviewed with NCIS. At some point during the exercise, an instructor observing from the dive platform is seen to point out the decedent, who appeared to be struggling, and an instructor in the water approaches the decedent. That instructor is seen to dunk the decedent under the water and then follow him around the pool for approximately 5 minutes. He continually splashes the decedent, dunks him at least one additional time, and appears to be yelling at him.

"The decedent is also splashed by other individuals during the event.

"At one point in the video, another individual in the water is seen pulling him up and away from the instructor. Throughout this time period, the decedent’s head is seen to go under the water multiple times, and the instructor can be seen pulling him up multiple times. Eventually the instructor pulls him out of the water, and the exercise is stopped. At that point, the decedent was, reportedly, still breathing. He was able to track with his eyes and was mumbling. He was turned on his side and abundant discolored water came out of his mouth. When he was turned back onto his back again, he was unresponsive.

"Resuscitative efforts were begun, and 911 was called. First responders took over resuscitation, and he was transported to Sharp-Coronado Hospital. Despite aggressive resuscitative efforts, death was pronounced at 1436 hours of the same day.

"According to multiple witnesses, the decedent was struggling during the event. Multiple people stated that his face was purple and his lips were blue. One individual was even reportedly considering calling a 'time-out' to stop the exercise. According to naval records, the decedent was not a strong swimmer.

"According to reported medical records, the decedent had previously been prescribed Singulair (last prescription over a year ago), used for the treatment of asthma, prevention of exercise-induced bronchoconstriction, and relief of allergic rhinitis. He had a prior electrocardiogram that showed asymptomatic sinus bradycardia with sinus arrhythmia. He had no other known chronic medical conditions. He had no history of drug or alcohol abuse.

"The autopsy demonstrated a normally developed, muscular, adult male with severe pulmonary edema and a small amount of foam in the airways. There was abundant watery fluid within the gastric contents, and approximately 1 ml of bloody fluid was aspirated from the sphenoid sinus. The heart was enlarged (490 grams), and the right coronary artery ostium had an aberrant origin, located slightly superior and to the left of the junction of the right and left semilunar cusps of the aortic valve. There was an incidental, benign hepatic hemangioma, and no other significant natural disease. Traumatic injuries included multiple superficial cutaneous abrasions, most predominantly involving the extremities. No other significant injuries were noted. Toxicological testing detected no alcohols or drugs of abuse.

"It is not known how the anatomic cardiac findings may have affected the decedent, as aberrant coronary arteries have been associated with sudden cardiac death, especially in athletes or other situations of extreme exertion. However, the decedent was in the pool in an adverse environment and was witnessed to be struggling. He was seen “dunked” under water at least twice by an instructor, and to go under the water several times, witnessed by the same instructor without rendering assistance, for approximately five
minutes.

"Autopsy findings were consistent with drowning, as noted above. Based on the autopsy findings and the circumstances surrounding the death, as currently understood, the cause of death is listed as drowning. Cardiomegaly and aberrant origin of right coronary artery ostium are listed as possible contributing conditions.

"Although the manner of death could be considered by some as an accident, especially given that the decedent was in a rigorous training program that was meant to simulate an 'adverse' environment, it is our opinion that the actions, and inactions, of the instructors and other individuals involved were excessive and directly contributed to the death, and the manner of death is best classified as homicide."

— City News Service contributed to this report.