Michael Hastings' Body Identified; LAPD Says No Signs Of Foul Play

The Los Angeles coroner's office said Thursday that it has formally identified the late journalist Michael Hastings as the victim in a fiery car crash that took place on Tuesday.

It had been widely presumed that the body that had been found in the fatal accident in the city's Hancock Park district was that of Hastings, who died at 33. Though reports said that the body had been burned beyond recognition, the Associated Press said that the coroner had matched his fingerprints to prints that the FBI had on file.

Since Hastings' tragic death, a variety of conspiracy theories have emerged, suggesting that his uncompromising reporting and clashes with powerful government figures had made him a target. However, the Los Angeles Police Department told the Los Angeles Times on Thursday that there did not appear to be any signs of foul play in the accident. The Times said that officials were trying to figure out whether there had been a mechanical failure in the car.