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Letter to the editor

Autopsy spurs inquiry into man's death

The man's family wants to know why it took so long.

By Rita Farlow, Times Staff Writer
Published March 11, 2008

TARPON SPRINGS - Tarpon Springs police are investigating the suspicious death of a Pasco County man who was found severely injured on the Pinellas Trail in mid February.

On Feb. 19, paramedics responded to a call about a man lying unconscious on the trail near a bridge at U.S. 19.

The man, Arthur R. Meyers, 57, of Holiday, was taken to St. Joseph's Hospital in Tampa. His sister Pamela Garvin of Libertyville, Ill., said Meyers had "massive injuries," including several broken bones and at least one collapsed lung.

Family members decided to take Meyers off life support March 3, said another sister, Deborah King-Catalano, 45, of Holiday. He died at the hospital the following morning.

Police did not initially file a report because it appeared Meyers had suffered from a medical condition, said Lt. Barb Templeton. Police were previously unaware of Meyers' injuries, Templeton said.

An investigation was opened after the Hillsborough County Medical Examiner's Office contacted police about Meyers' injuries. The result of an autopsy is still pending.

King-Catalano said she hopes someone will come forward with information about her brother's death.

"Somebody's got to know something," she said.

Reached by phone in Libertyville, Garvin said her brother was a transient who had a long history of mental illness and was "in and out of hospitals" a lot.

"He was an alcoholic. He was in Vietnam. He's just had issues forever," said Garvin, 54.

Both sisters said they don't understand why police didn't begin investigating Meyers' death immediately.

"I just want some answers," Garvin said.

Rita Farlow can be reached at farlow@sptimes.com or 727 445-4162.

[Last modified March 10, 2008, 20:52:13]