Autopsy may answer questions on body found in hotel water tank

This article was originally on a blog post platform and may be missing photos, graphics or links. See About archive blog posts.

Authorities hope an autopsy will answer questions surrounding the death of a missing Canadian tourist whose body was found inside a water tank atop a downtown Los Angeles hotel.

Police confirmed Tuesday the body of Elisa Lam, 21, was pulled from a tank at the Cecil Hotel. Lam, who authorities said traveled to California from Vancouver on Jan. 26, was last seen Jan. 31 at the hotel.

An autopsy has not yet been scheduled for the woman but would likely occur Thursday morning, Los Angeles County coroner’s spokesman Ed Winter said.

Winter said investigators were still trying to determine how and why Lam got in the water tank and had ‘no idea’ yet how long she may have been inside. The matter is being treated as a death investigation, he said.

Law enforcement officials familiar with the case said although foul play was always a possibility, they are closely examining whether her death might have been accidental.

Lam’s body was discovered by a hotel worker checking out complaints of weak water pressure, police said.

She was reporting missing about three weeks ago. Her exact reasons for coming to California were unclear, but police said they believe her ultimate destination was Santa Cruz. Detectives have not discussed her exact movements or whether she had visited anyone here. Last week, police released video of Lam inside a Cecil Hotel elevator. In surveillance footage, Lam is seen pushing buttons for multiple floors and at one point stepping out of the elevator, waving her arms.

Investigators searched the roof of the Cecil with the aid of dogs when Lam was first reported missing. Sgt. Rudy Lopez said he didn’t know if the tanks were examined.

‘We did a very thorough search of the hotel,’ he said. ‘But we didn’t search every room; we could only do that if we had probable cause’ that a crime had been committed.

A locked door that only employees have access to and a fire escape are the only ways to get to the roof. The door is equipped with an alarm system that notifies hotel personnel if someone is up there, Lopez said.

ALSO:

Grapevine on Interstate 5 reopened

O.C. shootings: Killings occurred during morning routines

City Beat: Elizabeth Taylor’s engagement ring, jewels on display

— Kate Mather, Andrew Blankstein and Adolfo Flores