Medical examiners: DJ AM autopsy inconclusive; toxicology tests expected to take weeks

DJ AM autopsy inconclusive; more tests planned

NEW YORK — Authorities will need to conduct toxicology tests, expected to take weeks, to determine what killed celebrity disc jockey DJ AM, a medical examiner’s office spokeswoman said Saturday.

An autopsy Saturday of the 36-year-old was inconclusive, said the spokeswoman, Ellen Borakove.

A law enforcement official told The Associated Press that police found a crack pipe and prescription pills in the apartment where they discovered DJ AM’s body Friday evening. The official spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the investigation was ongoing.

DJ AM, whose real name was Adam Goldstein, had openly discussed past addictions to crack cocaine, Ecstasy and other drugs. In October, MTV was to debut his reality show, “Gone Too Far,” in which he and concerned families staged interventions for drug abusers. MTV hasn’t said whether Goldstein’s show will air.

In an interview with the AP last month, he said the show provided a “terrifying” reminder of his own addiction.

“I have to constantly remind myself why I’m here and remember what it was like,” he said.

Goldstein rose to fame several years ago as a deejay known for his mashups — blends of at least two songs. He performed in clubs, on concert stages and at exclusive Hollywood parties. His personal life also garnered attention, as he dated actress-singer Mandy Moore and reality TV star Nicole Richie, the daughter of singer Lionel Richie.

Goldstein was critically hurt in a plane crash last September in Columbia, S.C., that killed four people. He was flying in a Learjet after a performance with Travis Barker, a drummer for the pop-punk band Blink-182 and Goldstein’s partner in the duo TRVSDJ-AM.

Barker and Goldstein were burned. Goldstein had to get skin graft surgery but resumed performing about a month later.

He told the AP he felt blessed to have survived but was still shaken by the crash.

“I guess I get why they call it ‘post-trauma,’ because it was very tough. I have really bad days, and I have really OK days,” he said.

His body was found after a friend called police to say he was unable to get into the home in New York City’s trendy SoHo neighborhood. Paramedics had to break down the door before they found him, shirtless and wearing sweatpants, in his bed around 5:20 p.m. on Friday, the law enforcement official said.

There was no evidence of foul play.

Associated Press writers Colleen Long in New York and Michael Cidoni in Los Angeles contributed to this report.