TAMPA, Florida – The family of the late Buccaneers and Chargers wide receiver Vincent Jackson told the Hillsborough County sheriff’s office that he believed he suffered from “chronic alcoholism” and concussions at the time of his death, the sheriff’s office said Wednesday. market.
Jackson was found dead at a hotel in the Tampa Bay area on Monday. He had just turned 38 and left a wife and four children.
A spokesman for the Hillsborough County sheriff’s office told ESPN that there was no indication of a crime and that “it will take a full autopsy report and a toxicology report to know for sure what caused his death.”
But they started painting a picture of Jackson’s life in his final weeks, which ended tragically and left a community and former teammates in mourning and endless questions.
“It may take several weeks before we know what led to Vincent Jackson’s premature and tragic death,” the Hillsborough County sheriff’s office said in a statement. “The Hillsborough County Medical Examiner’s Office continues to conduct a full investigation in conjunction with the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. Based on statements made by Jackson’s relatives to detectives, his family had reason to believe that he may have suffering from chronic alcoholism and concussions, however, the exact cause and manner of Mr. Jackson’s death will not be certain until his autopsy, among other reports, is completed. “
The statement came after Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister went to a local morning radio show on Q105 on Wednesday to discuss Jackson’s death.
Chronister said on the radio that an autopsy report would be made available on Wednesday, but a spokesman for the Hillsborough County Medical Examiner’s Office told ESPN that this was not the case and that not even a preliminary report would be issued on Wednesday. , although he was made aware of Chronister’s comments.
“The form and cause of death awaits further study,” said Hillsborough County Medical Examiner’s Office spokeswoman Michelle Van Dyke. “It may take several months for a formal autopsy report, depending on which tests need to be performed.”
The summary of the initial case is also unavailable and will not be released on Wednesday, said Van Dyke, adding that it is still being worked on.
“Sheriff Chronister does not speak for the Jackson family,” a Jackson family spokesman told ESPN. “The full autopsy report will not be available for weeks. Our focus now is to put Vincent to rest.”
Jackson was not living with his family at the time of his death, but was staying at a Homewood Suites in Brandon, Florida, for more than a month.