Jovan Belcher’s blood-alcohol content was double the legal limit when he died, autopsy report says
The Jackson County Medical Examiner released the autopsy reports today for late Chiefs player Jovan Belcher and his girlfriend, Kasandra Perkins. Belcher killed Perkins and then himself on December 1. Perkins’ report notes the nine gunshot wounds that she sustained at the home they shared. It also said her blood had 10 mg/dL of ethanol, which is a blood alcohol content of .01. Perkins’ drug panel was negative.
Belcher’s report notes that his blood alcohol content was more than double the legal limit to drive. His blood contained 170 mg/dL of ethanol, which is a BAC of .17. His drug panel was also negative. But the level of Belcher’s intoxication is noteworthy because of his interaction with police the night before the murder-suicide. It has been well-documented that Belcher and Perkins were both out partying the night before their deaths. KCPD officers found Belcher sleeping in his car (which was running and parked legally) outside the apartment of his mistress at 3 a.m. Belcher died at 8:09 a.m., more than five hours after he spoke with the officers.
According to a police report, the officers woke Belcher and initially thought he was acting like he was possibly intoxicated. But two officers didn’t smell alcohol on him, and he seemed more coherent after being awake for a while. Police did not administer a field sobriety test. He spent the night in the apartment of his mistress’s neighbors and left their building around 6:45 a.m. He then went home, killed Perkins and drove to the Chiefs’ offices, where he killed himself after speaking with coach Romeo Crennel and general manager Scott Pioli.
