Belize: Autopsy links Joel Sierra death to Pulmonary Edema, toxicology pending

Belize: The post-mortem examination of Joel Sierra has confirmed acute respiratory failure caused by acute pulmonary edema as the official cause of death, with toxicology results still pending. The autopsy was conducted on Wednesday and has helped clarify the previously unclear circumstances surrounding his death.

According to reports, the autopsy results of the 35-year-old Joel Sierra, the Santa Elena man disclosed that he died because of a severe accumulation of fluid built up in his lungs (pulmonary edema), which prevented him from being able to breathe. 

The toxicology tests are still pending and are expected to determine whether prohibited substances may have contributed to the death of a man with a previous criminal record as officers suspect that Sierra was under the influence of illicit substances at the time of his death. 

The officers are still continuing their investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident to determine what actually happened on Saturday, which led the man to fire continuously in the sky before going into a hyperventilated, highly frantic, and hallucinatory state.

Reportedly, the incident took place on Saturday morning, in the Hillview area of Santa Elena  when the man allegedly began firing a gun up in the sky indiscriminately during the frightening incident and after that he fell on the ground and began gasping for breath.

The officers acting on the report arrived at the location and discovered 35-year-old Joel Sierra lying on the ground who was struggling to breathe. The officers noticed several spent bullet shells and a nine-millimeter pistol, near the man which made officers a little suspicious.

Following which the officers took him to the nearby hospital for treatment but shortly after his arrival he succumbed to his unknown injuries or condition. The doctors initially suggested that the man was under the influence of a prohibited substance.

The officers are now awaiting toxicology test results to finally uncover whether the death of the man was because of a prohibited or illicit substance. Investigation into the matter is ongoing and further details will be provided when it becomes available.