Autopsy inconclusive on man’s body

The death of a Costa Mesa man found floating in Newport Harbor over the weekend does not immediately appear to be the result of foul play, police said Monday.

Two kayakers discovered the body of David Matthew Szwast, 49, early Saturday near Orange Coast College’s sailing center at 1800 W. Coast Hwy., police said. A witness reported that Szwast was floating face down, fully clothed about 6:30 a.m. Saturday.

The Orange County Sheriff’s Department Harbor Patrol arrived on the scene and pulled Szwast’s body out of the water. He was taken to Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian where he was pronounced dead, police said.

Police automatically treat dead-body investigations as homicides until the coroner makes a determination on the cause of death, said Sgt. Evan Sailor. There were no signs that criminal activity was involved, but investigators are waiting for toxicology results from the Orange County Sheriff-Coroner, Sailor said.

An autopsy performed Sunday proved inconclusive, coroner officials said Monday.

A toxicology test will determine whether drugs or alcohol played a role in Szwast’s death. Toxicology reports usually take six to eight weeks to be completed.