The Oceanside Police Department (OPD) has identified a man found critically injured on the street on New Year’s Day as investigators continue to work to solve his suspicious death.
On Jan. 1, at around 8:40 p.m., a man was found lying in the bike path along the 2100 block of S. Coast Highway, suffering from multiple injuries to his face and back of his head. The man was taken to a local hospital where he died from his injuries a short time later.
He had no identification on him but now, nearly two weeks later, the OPD has identified the man as Fallbrook resident Mark Andrew Slaughter, 45.
The police department said Wednesday that Slaughter’s case is still under investigation, as his death is considered suspicious.
Though an autopsy conducted by the San Diego County Medical Examiner (ME) determined Slaughter died from blunt force trauma to the back of the head, the ME could not determine what mechanism actually caused that injury and, thus, could not declare a preliminary possible of cause of death.
Because Slaughter was found along the busy S. Coast Highway, police said his injuries could’ve been the result of an assault or impact from a passing car.
For now, his case has been classified as a “suspicious death,” the OPD confirmed.
Detectives are asking witnesses or anyone who may have been with Slaughter on the day of his death or on an earlier date to contact the OPD at (760) 435-4892.
