Cocaine overdose kills leading aviation lawyer - Booked into the Sheraton Park Tower hotel, Andrew Muriel, 57, was found dead three days later

Published: 17 December 2010
by JOSH LOEB

A LEADING aviation lawyer and part-time composer died of a cocaine overdose in a luxury Hyde Park hotel.

Andrew Muriel, 57, booked into the Sheraton Park Tower hotel on September 27 and was found dead in his room three days later by a member of staff who had become concerned after Mr Muriel failed to collect a newspaper and packages.

Mark Burrows, the hotel’s head of risk management, broke into the room, bolted on the inside, and found the body and “things that were entirely consistent with taking cocaine,” said coroner Dr Paul Knapman at the hearing at Westminster Coroners Court on Wednesday.

Pathologist Dr Peter Wilkins said tests showed a “significantly higher” than recreational level and enlarged heart.

He added: “If you have an enlarged heart and you take cocaine you really are putting yourself at risk.”

Mr Muriel worked at law firm DLA Piper’s Moscow office, where he specialised in aviation finance. He lived in Russia with his wife Iben, who attended the inquest, and composed musicals under the pen name Andrew J Wight.

Verdict: death by non-dependent misuse of drugs caused by alcohol and cocaine toxicity with an enlarged heart and inflammation of the liver.