Scott Sterling Found Dead; Son of Clippers' Owner Died of Apparent Drug Overdose
Scott Sterling, son of Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling, was found dead in his Malibu home on Tuesday of unknown causes.
Authorities believe Sterling's death may be due to a possible overdose of drugs.
Los Angeles County coroner's Lt. Larry Dietz said that Sterling was found dead shortly after 11:30 p.m. New Year's Day at his home located on the Pacific Coast Highway in California.
Dietz says the death appears to be accidental and it's being investigated as a possible drug overdose, according to The Associated Press.
The investigation into the exact cause of death is underway and an autopsy is scheduled to examine Sterling's body. He was originally pronounced dead at the scene by the first responding paramedics.
It is unclear who first reported Sterling's death, but family and friends had not heard from him in a few days, according to The New York Daily News.
32-year-old Sterling had previous run-ins with the law.
He was previously arrested in 1999 for shooting his friend at a home in Beverly Hills. The incident was reportedly linked to "Saved By The Bell: The New Class" actress Lindsey McKeon, according to the Los Angeles Times. The then-19-year-old claimed self-defense and prosecutors never brought charges against him.
Sterling's rich father allegedly tried to persuade the detectives in the case to stop before prosecutors could get involved. The county district attorney's office declined to file criminal charges, citing credibility problems with the victim.
The elder Sterling, a real estate baron, has a net worth of $1.9 billion, according to Forbes magazine. He bought the Clippers in 1981 for $12.5 million. The basketball team has had an impressive season with a 17-game winning streak that ended Tuesday night from a game with the Denver Nuggets.
