White House Calls Ex-Russian Minister Lesin’s Death Possible Crime

The death of former Russian Press Minister Mikhail Lesin could have been caused by crime, but the US administration does not comment on the ongoing police investigation into the case, White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said in a briefing on Tuesday.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — The MPD told Sputnik on Friday they had not ruled out the possibility of investigating the case as a murder.

"This is a situation that continues to be investigated by local law enforcement authorities. I understand that Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) here in Washington, DC is continuing to investigate that crime that might have occurred here in Washington."

Lesin was found dead in a Washington hotel on November 5, 2015. According to a coroner's report released Thursday, he died from blunt force trauma to his head. Earlier reports indicated that a heart attack could have been the cause of his death.

Lesin served as Russia’s minister for press, broadcasting and mass communications from 1999 to 2004 and as presidential adviser from 2004 to 2009. In October 2013, he was appointed head of the Gazprom-Media holding. He stood down in January 2015, citing family reasons.