By Michael Rothberg and David Lim
The Los Angeles Coroner’s office Saturday identified a body found Friday morning on land the school owns west of Coldwater Canyon as a man who disappeared from his home about two blocks away on May 31.
Coroner’s investigator Mario Sainz said James Ernest Oberg, 57, died of asphyxiation. When his family reported him missing they said they feared he might be suicidal, police said.
Head of Security Jim Crawford said he discovered the body while he was clearing out brush about 8 a.m.
“According to my experience working homicide, it looked like he had been there a couple of days,” Crawford, a former cop, said.
After finding the body, Crawford alerted the Los Angeles Fire Department and the Los Angeles Police Department, which arrived at the scene shortly after.
