| In the interest of speed and timeliness, this story is fed directly from the Associated Press newswire and may contain spelling or grammatical errors. |
Helicopter mechanic found dead in Edwards Air Force Base
Tuesday March 25, 2003EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. (AP) A Marine helicopter mechanic was found dead in his dormitory room here, authorities said Tuesday. A cause was not determined but there was no evidence of foul play, they said.
Pfc. Robert T. Blumka Jr., 31, of Tampa, Fla., was found dead Sunday afternoon, Edwards Air Force Base spokesman John Haire said.
Blumka joined the Marines on Feb. 27, 2002, and was assigned to Marine Aircraft Group 46, Detachment Bravo. The unit with two squadrons, composed of heavy and medium helicopters, includes active and reserve Marines, according to the U.S. Marine Corps Web site.
An autopsy was conducted by the Kern County coroner's office, but a spokesman there referred all calls to the base. Toxicological results won't be available for several days, he added.
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On the Net:
U.S. Marine Corps: http://www.usmc.mil/
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