Ex-LA County medical examiner investigator who admitted to stealing from bodies faces jail time

LOS ANGELES - A former investigator for the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner has admitted to theft after being caught on camera stealing personal items from the bodies of people whose deaths he was assigned to investigate.

What we know:

Adrian Muñoz, 36, entered a no-contest plea on Friday to one felony count of grand theft and one misdemeanor count of petty theft. 

The charges follow a 2023 investigation that revealed Muñoz leveraged his position of trust to pilfer belongings from the deceased. 

In one specific instance on January 6, 2023, Muñoz was sent to investigate the death of a warehouse worker in South Los Angeles who had suffered a heart attack. Surveillance footage from the scene showed Muñoz taking a gold crucifix necklace from the man's neck and hiding it in his medical bag.

Further investigation by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department led to a search of Muñoz’s desk, where officials discovered rare antique coins and a receipt belonging to another man who died in November 2022—a case that Muñoz had also handled. 

Under the terms of the plea, Muñoz is expected to serve 180 days in county jail, undergo two years of formal probation, and pay restitution to the victims' families.

What they're saying:

District Attorney Nathan Hochman issued a searing statement regarding the breach of ethics: "There is something especially appalling about stealing from the dead. During a time when dignity and respect should be absolute, Mr. Muñoz chose greed. Today's plea is a step toward justice, but it cannot undo the additional trauma inflicted on families who were already dealing with loss."

What's next:

Muñoz is scheduled for formal sentencing on June 5.

In addition to jail time and probation, he is required to permanently resign from the Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) certification, ensuring he can no longer serve in a law enforcement or investigative capacity in California.