Autopsy doesn't reveal if man was murdered

By Leslie Wood
Staff Writer

GALLUP — Autopsy results for a 58-year-old Ft. Defiance, Ariz., man who was found critically injured in a local motel's parking lot were inconclusive as to his manner of death.

Laurence Teller was transported from the Desert Skies Motel parking lot to the Gallup Indian Medical Center at about 7:30 a.m. on Monday. Investigators met with the hospital's medical personnel at about 4 p.m. and where informed that Teller's condition had taken a turn for the worse.

According to Capt. John Allen, of the Gallup Police Department, Teller was pronounced deceased at about 10 p.m. Allen said there were indications he may have been beaten prior to his death, so the case is being investigated as a homicide. However, officials were awaiting results from Teller's autopsy to officially classify the case as a homicide.

Teller also suffered from a "host" of medical conditions that may have caused his death, Allen said.

However, the autopsy that was conducted in Albuquerque on Wednesday morning did not immediately reveal whether Teller's death should be attributed to foul play.

Allen said the autopsy indicates Teller died from a blunt force trauma to the head. But his manner of death was classified as undetermined.

The manner of death refers to whether the death was accidental, natural or intentionally inflicted, as is the case with a homicide.

Allen said a blunt force trauma injury could be caused when someone falls and hits his or head or when someone is intentionally struck in the head with an object. Depending on the method, the injury could be the result of foul play or an accident, so officials were not immediately able to rule the case a homicide.

Medical personnel will most likely complete additional tests to help them make the ruling. Meanwhile, local police officers are continuing to gather additional information about the case through interviews, Allen said.