Found Deceased CA - Erin Valenti, 33, from Utah, en-route from Palo Alto to San Jose, 7 Oct 2019 #2

[Backstroke10]

300 missing persons per month, according to the San Jose Mercury News. That's 10 a day. I'm not sure what is reasonable for how long for the police to be spending looking for a missing person, when there are always crimes going on.

No doubt. They have their hands full there. LE claimed they searched for "several" hours and I'm hoping they didn't make that claim just to appease everyone.

 

[realanastasia]

Also, I don’t think I realized that Sand Hill Road is apparently ground zero for venture capital firms—was Erin at a business meeting before her death? Maybe she was pitching some VC investors (who could’ve been old friends or old colleagues) on a new project but didn’t succeed in getting them to buy in?

Venture Capital Directory of Silicon Valley Venture Capital Firms
http://www.svbizlaw.com/venture.capital.directory.htm
www.wired.com/story/how-sand-hill-road-became-the-main-street-of-venture-capital/amp

The pressure of an important meeting with potential investors might have led her to take something to either calm down (beta blockers? benzodiazepines?) or something like an amphetamine to make her feel more confident/chatty/outgoing. But a failed pitch to a VC firm would likely have also left her feeling down and dejected, which could lead to a spiral of negative thoughts and bad feelings and maybe self-harm...
MOO

 

[Seattle1]

I'd like to see the family start putting pressure on everyone that had contact with her the last day she was seen.

^^sbm

Honestly, I think her family knows what happened by now. Autopsy complete. This is time for them to grieve, not to pressure others for answers they already know.

LE already reported no foul play. Also reported her last contact has been cooperative with both family and LE from day one.

MOO

 

[PaulR]

^^sbm

Honestly, I think her family knows what happened by now. Autopsy complete. This is time for them to grieve, not to pressure others for answers they already know.

LE already reported no foul play. Also reported her last contact has been cooperative with both family and LE from day one.

MOO

There may not have been foul play per se in her death, so nobody killed her, but someone might have given her some medication without a prescription to "help" and she may have had a bad reaction.

I don't know who calls their mother if they can't find their car in the parking lot.

 

[Seattle1]

There may not have been foul play per se in her death, so nobody killed her, but someone might have given her some medication without a prescription to "help" and she may have had a bad reaction.

I don't know who calls their mother if they can't find their car in the parking lot.

The lost car was just an excuse -- it could have been anything. She spent hours on the phone with her mom following that call. She also reached out to friends.

Joseph Valenti lives with his wife in Rochester, New York, and said they were out to dinner celebrating their anniversary when Erin Valenti called Oct. 7. At first they thought she was calling to congratulate them, but they soon realized something wasn’t right. Joseph Valenti said his daughter sounded confused and couldn’t find her rental car.

The call came hours before she disappeared.

“My daughter was on the phone obviously distressed,” he said.

After Erin Valenti spent several hours on the phone with her mother, who is a nurse and her brother, who is a doctor, Joseph Valenti said they contacted the San Jose Police Department for help.

Father Of Utah Tech CEO Found Dead In California Says Police Didn't Do Enough

 

[MJPeony]

There's something missing from what we know. I suspect there is information about EV that was not disclosed to the police, and to the public. Husband is now saying she was talking about dead relatives - that's new, I think. Though we don't know the context - was she thinking of a relative who died last week, or claiming that she was talking to her long-dead grandparents?

I do think her friends and family are privy to much more detail now, including a retrospective view of her past mental/emotional state. Several of them have been posting their thoughts, tributes, etc.

I still have essentially the same theory I posted up-thread (bipolar element, manic episode mixed with something that ultimately interacted), although I now believe she was in a darker place than I'd originally thought.

Happy to see she has a wonderful celebration of life planned for her. I hope her family and friends find support in one another and can find peace throughout the grieving process. I will surely think of her when I'm in Almaden.

MOO

 

[Satchie]

No doubt. They have their hands full there. LE claimed they searched for "several" hours and I'm hoping they didn't make that claim just to appease everyone.

A major duty of a police officer is to take notes of every conversation, action and observation related to every incident they investigate.

If police did not take first-person, reliable, trust-worthy notes then the whole justice and legal system would collapse. No one could be prosecuted because police officers couldn't testify in court, months after the event, without being challenged about their faulty memories. Even things like insurance claims couldn't be settled because police officers couldn't reliably remember what people said or did at the scene of an accident.

 

[cvaldez1975]

Yes, in fact if anything it was chilly, in the low fifties. Imo

Yes it usually cools off at night unless it’s like, a heat wave. It was in the 80’s during the day but 50’s at night.

 

[Backstroke10]

A major duty of a police officer is to take notes of every conversation, action and observation related to every incident they investigate.

If police did not take first-person, reliable, trust-worthy notes then the whole justice and legal system would collapse. No one could be prosecuted because police officers couldn't testify in court, months after the event, without being challenged about their faulty memories. Even things like insurance claims couldn't be settled because police officers couldn't reliably remember what people said or did at the scene of an accident.

That’s good information and I’m relieved to hear that. The officer that made the welfare check call at 10pm said that she had stated she was with friends. We now find out that was a 3 way call that included a family member. I wonder why the family member (I’m assuming the mother or brother ??) never mentioned this. If the officer thought she was with friends, I can understand why this may not have been viewed as an urgent situation. He thinks she sounds a bit jumbled but she’s a grown woman with her friends nearby. MOO

 

[Satchie]

^^sbm

Honestly, I think her family knows what happened by now. Autopsy complete. This is time for them to grieve, not to pressure others for answers they already know.

LE already reported no foul play. Also reported her last contact has been cooperative with both family and LE from day one.

MOO

I think it's possible cause of death isn't known, yet. Unless there were obvious physical signs on the body, which are very unlikely. I guess they might have a sense of how long since she'd passed, and possibly some clues if, for eg, there was evidence of a substance in the car. But I suspect they'll have to run many tests.

 

[Seattle1]

Uploaded by Erin March 19, 2019

 

[kittythehare]

I think it's possible cause of death isn't known, yet. Unless there were obvious physical signs on the body, which are very unlikely. I guess they might have a sense of how long since she'd passed, and possibly some clues if, for eg, there was evidence of a substance in the car. But I suspect they'll have to run many tests.

This UK, very basic..
Although some information can be obtained from looking directly at organs in a post-mortem examination, often the only way to understand properly what has happened is:

• to look at part of an organ under the microscope
• carry out special tests
• get a second medical opinion

Tissue samples, blocks and slides
It is usually necessary to retain small tissue samples for further examination and for further tests such as looking at chromosomes or genes and searching for infections due to bacteria or viruses that may have caused the death.

Small samples of tissue are removed from the organs and placed in small plastic containers. The samples measure around 1.5 x 1.5 cm (smaller than a postage stamp) and are up to 5 millimetres thick.

The tissue is chemically treated to remove water, which is replaced with wax. This process creates tissue blocks. Very thin slices (sections) a tenth of the thickness of a human hair are then cut from the surface.

The sections are placed on glass slides so that they can be examined under a microscope. More than one slide can be cut from each block.

These techniques are the same as those used to examine tissue from living patients.

The tissue blocks and slides are stored in special cabinets as part of the medical pathology records and in line with the Human Tissue Act 2004.

The process of creating tissue blocks and slides may create very small amounts of unused or residual tissue. This is usually disposed of by incineration.

Occasionally it is necessary to retain whole organs for further examination, as this can provide more detailed understanding of the cause of death.

The next of kin will always be advised if any tissue samples or organs are retained for further tests.

X-rays, photographs and other images
It may be necessary to x-ray or photograph the body or an organ during the post-mortem examination. These images form part of the record of investigation of the death. They are usually retained indefinitely. Their use is strictly controlled and always confidential.

Post-mortem results
The pathologist will provide the preliminary results of the post-mortem examination to the Coroner very quickly. However, a final written report may not be available for some time as further tests may need to be carried out and these can take time to complete.

The Coroner’s Liaison Officer will contact the family as soon as the preliminary results are available and will advise the family on the finding. They will also be able to say if any organs or tissue have been retained following the post-mortem examination.
Coroners, post-mortems and inquests | nidirect
Regulations and procedures differ internationally, quite a lot. Will try finding better info.

 

[Suglo]

That’s good information and I’m relieved to hear that. The officer that made the welfare check call at 10pm said that she had stated she was with friends. We now find out that was a 3 way call that included a family member. I wonder why the family member (I’m assuming the mother or brother ??) never mentioned this. If the officer thought she was with friends, I can understand why this may not have been viewed as an urgent situation. He thinks she sounds a bit jumbled but she’s a grown woman with her friends nearby. MOO

I think they strategically held back the info about the three way call and other events of that afternoon/evening. The general public might have not felt such a sense of urgency if they had admitted that she said she was with friends that evening. I don’t think that was the only thing they held back either.

 

[kittythehare]

Here's more info on autopsies.
http://webapps.cap.org/apps/docs/education/FINAL_AutopsySelfAssessmentAnswerKey.pdf

GENERAL – CAUSE OF DEATH 1. Which of the following is the most common cause of sudden death in an adult? A. Intracerebral hemorrhage B. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy C. Coronary artery disease D. Drug overdose E. Pulmonary thromboembolism Correct Answer: C Sudden death is defined as unexpected death from causes either without symptoms or within 1 to 24 hours of symptom onset. The causes of sudden death in adults can be broadly divided into cardiovascular and non-cardiovascular causes. The cardiovascular causes of sudden death overwhelmingly predominate, with the most common cause being coronary artery disease. Coronary artery disease causes 80-90% of sudden cardiac deaths each year. 1. Kumar V, Abbas AK, Aster JC. Robbins and Cotran Pathologic Basis of Disease 9th Ed., Elsevier Sanders, Philadelphia PA, 2015; p 551. 2. An autopsy shows that death resulted from hemopericardium secondary to a ruptured myocardial infarct following thrombosis of an atherosclerotic plaque in the coronary artery. The underlying cause of death is: A. Coronary artery atherosclerosis B. Pericardial tamponade C. Hemopericardium D. Ruptured myocardial infarction E. Asystole Correct Answer: A 1. Collins KA, Hutchins GM. Autopsy Performance & Reporting, 2nd Ed. College of American Pathologists, Northfield, Ill., 2003, p 290,3

Interesting and worth a read.

 

[kittythehare]

GENERAL – CAUSE OF DEATH 1. Which of the following is the most common cause of sudden death in an adult? A. Intracerebral hemorrhage B. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy C. Coronary artery disease D. Drug overdose E. Pulmonary thromboembolism Correct Answer: C Sudden death is defined as unexpected death from causes either without symptoms or within 1 to 24 hours of symptom onset. The causes of sudden death in adults can be broadly divided into cardiovascular and non-cardiovascular causes. The cardiovascular causes of sudden death overwhelmingly predominate, with the most common cause being coronary artery disease. Coronary artery disease causes 80-90% of sudden cardiac deaths each year. 1. Kumar V, Abbas AK, Aster JC. Robbins and Cotran Pathologic Basis of Disease 9th Ed., Elsevier Sanders, Philadelphia PA, 2015; p 551. 2. An autopsy shows that death resulted from hemopericardium secondary to a ruptured myocardial infarct following thrombosis of an atherosclerotic plaque in the coronary artery. The underlying cause of death is: A. Coronary artery atherosclerosis B. Pericardial tamponade C. Hemopericardium D. Ruptured myocardial infarction E. Asystole Correct Answer: A 1. Collins KA, Hutchins GM. Autopsy Performance & Reporting, 2nd Ed. College of American Pathologists, Northfield, Ill., 2003, p 290,301
This just refers to estimation of time of death, contains #GRAPHIC images
Determination of postmortem interval by decomposition changes: An ambiguous phenomenon

 

[Curiousobserver]

Here's more info on autopsies.
http://webapps.cap.org/apps/docs/education/FINAL_AutopsySelfAssessmentAnswerKey.pdf

GENERAL – CAUSE OF DEATH 1. Which of the following is the most common cause of sudden death in an adult? A. Intracerebral hemorrhage B. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy C. Coronary artery disease D. Drug overdose E. Pulmonary thromboembolism Correct Answer: C Sudden death is defined as unexpected death from causes either without symptoms or within 1 to 24 hours of symptom onset. The causes of sudden death in adults can be broadly divided into cardiovascular and non-cardiovascular causes. The cardiovascular causes of sudden death overwhelmingly predominate, with the most common cause being coronary artery disease. Coronary artery disease causes 80-90% of sudden cardiac deaths each year. 1. Kumar V, Abbas AK, Aster JC. Robbins and Cotran Pathologic Basis of Disease 9th Ed., Elsevier Sanders, Philadelphia PA, 2015; p 551. 2. An autopsy shows that death resulted from hemopericardium secondary to a ruptured myocardial infarct following thrombosis of an atherosclerotic plaque in the coronary artery. The underlying cause of death is: A. Coronary artery atherosclerosis B. Pericardial tamponade C. Hemopericardium D. Ruptured myocardial infarction E. Asystole Correct Answer: A 1. Collins KA, Hutchins GM. Autopsy Performance & Reporting, 2nd Ed. College of American Pathologists, Northfield, Ill., 2003, p 290,3

Interesting and worth a read.

My guess is that the mechanism of death will be either cardiac arrest, suffocation/asphyxiation, or hyperthermia. The cause of death will be acute drug ingestion or drug interaction.

Very sad, that video from @Seattle1 post paints the picture of a very intelligent and interesting person.

 

[happyday]

I think they strategically held back the info about the three way call and other events of that afternoon/evening. The general public might have not felt such a sense of urgency if they had admitted that she said she was with friends that evening. I don’t think that was the only thing they held back either.

And just because she said she was friends doesn’t mean she was. The parents had been on the phone with her for hours so they probably had a good idea whether this was true or not. If she suddenly told the police she was with friends, they could have just dismissed that as one of the ways she was being nonsensical.

 

[kittythehare]

Articles
Life after death: the science of human decomposition

https://phys.org/news/2015-07-method-death-ten-day-old-corpse.html

The Post Mortem External Examination: Determination of the Cause and Manner of Death

 

[SeattleStew]

Dang, I can't find pictures of Erin's rental car with damage anywhere. Anyone got a link to share?

 

[kittythehare]

Dang, I can't find pictures of Erin's rental car with damage anywhere. Anyone got a link to share?

Didn't see it.