Cause of jogger’s death ruled ‘undetermined’

Greg Risling

NEWPORT BEACH -- The coroner’s office has been unable to determine how a

22-year-old Newport Beach resident died while he was jogging on a

wilderness trail last September.

Three tests -- an autopsy, toxicology and tissue samples -- were

performed on Cody Byron Rickert, who collapsed and died during a brisk

run in Aliso Wood Canyon Regional Park. After ruling out almost every

option, county medical examiners Friday labeled the cause of death as

“undetermined.”

“We did all of the tests and didn’t find anything,” said Deputy Coroner

Larry Esslinger. “We sometimes have to make this determination with

younger people because there isn’t any underlying history, like we see

with older people.”

Rickert was reported missing Sept. 22, when he went jogging with a

friend. Rickert said he didn’t feel well during the outing and told his

friend to go ahead; he would catch up later.

When the friend never heard from Rickert, he called authorities.

Police found Rickert’s body the next day in some brush on a hillside.

Coroner’s officials said it’s possible Rickert died from an irregular

heartbeat.

“Anybody can be thrown into arrhythmia,” Esslinger said. “A lot of times

it doesn’t show up during an autopsy. We’ve done everything we could.”

Rickert had moved to Newport Beach after graduating from Washington State

University. He was working at the Newport Beach Marriott Hotel & Tennis

Club as an assistant manager when he died.