Fallbrook man's death on New Year's Day deemed 'suspicious'

OCEANSIDE - Authorities today (Wed., Jan. 13) publicly identified a 45-year-old man who turned up dead near Buena Vista Lagoon under suspicious circumstances on New Year's Day.

Andrew Slaughter of Fallbrook was found on a bicycle lane alongside the 2100 block of South Coast Highway in Oceanside with trauma to his face and head about 8:30 p.m. Jan. 1, according to police. Medics took him to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead, Lt. Leonard Cosby said.

The county Medical Examiner's Office has been unable to determine the source of Slaughter's injuries and has made no ruling on the manner of his death.

Detectives are investigating the fatality as a suspicious death, the lieutenant said.

Anyone who might be able to provide information about the case was asked to call the Oceanside Police Department at (760) 435-4892.