US Police: Too Early to Consider Russian Ex-Minister Lesin’s Death Homicide

It is too early to consider the death of former Russian Press Minister Mikhail Lesin was a homicide, Metropolitan Police Department Dustin Sternbeck told Sputnik on Friday.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — Earlier in the day, a medical statement was released to media stating that Lesin, who was also ex-head of Gazprom-Media, died as a result of blunt force injuries of the head, in contradiction to earlier announcements.

Medical statement of the cause of the Mikhail Lesin's death

© Photo : Government of the District of Columbia

"To say it is a homicide is strictly speculative at this point in the investigation," Sternbeck stated.

The former Russian press minister died in Washington, DC on November 5, 2015. Following his death, Lesin's family told media that he died from heart attack.

The US police did not provide any information on a possibility of changing investigation of former Russian Press Minister Mikhail Lesin death into murder probe.

Asked whether an investigation has been changed into a murder probe, Metropolitan Police Department spokesperson Dustin Sternbeck said, "The circumstances surrounding the death of Mr. Lesin continue to be actively investigated by DC Metropolitan Police Department."

Lesin was born on July 11, 1958. He served as minister for the affairs of the press, broadcasting and mass communications from 1999 to 2004 and as presidential adviser from 2004 to 2009. He was appointed to head Gazprom-Media holding in October 2013 and resigned in January 2015, citing family reasons. Lesin is also widely credited as the creator of international broadcaster RT.