A U.S. Border Patrol agent who was discovered lifeless in a Riverside County dwelling earlier this yr following an arrest in Lengthy Seashore overdosed on cocaine and was coping with despair, in keeping with an post-mortem report made public Tuesday.
Isaiah Hodgson, 29, was discovered lifeless in his bed room in Hemet in late August with white “powder-like residue” close to him, in keeping with investigative paperwork launched by the Riverside County Sheriff’s Workplace in response to a public data request from The Instances.
Authorities dominated Hodgson’s dying to be unintended and located three plastic bindles, that are usually used to carry medicine, in his abdomen, in keeping with the coroner’s report. Riverside County sheriff’s officers beforehand stated there have been no indicators of foul play on the scene, and the report confirmed Hodgson had not sustained any accidents or defensive wounds. His official reason behind dying was described as “cocaine toxicity.”
In early July, Hodgson was arrested in Lengthy Seashore for preventing with metropolis police. Prosecutors charged Hodgson with three counts of resisting arrest, one rely of battery inflicting damage to a police officer and several other misdemeanor weapons offenses after he scuffled with officers responding to a restaurant within the Shoreline Village. Workers had kicked Hodgson out, reporting he drunkenly wandered into the ladies’s restroom whereas armed with a handgun.
In dramatic physique cam footage reviewed by The Instances, Lengthy Seashore law enforcement officials approached Hodgson on July 7 after a 911 name made by a safety guard who reported Hodgson had proven him a gun.
“He confirmed me a freaking clip,” the caller stated within the 911 audio recording obtained by The Instances.
When officers approached Hodgson, they yelled, “Get on the bottom” and “Put your palms up.”
Hodgson put his palms up however wouldn’t get on the bottom. He instructed to officers that he labored for a police division: “Are you silly, I’m PD,” he stated.
It took a number of officers to get Hodgson to kneel on the bottom. One officer repeatedly used a taser on him.
Expenses in opposition to Hodgson are anticipated to be dismissed at a court docket listening to subsequent month, in keeping with a spokesman for the Los Angeles County district legal professional’s workplace.
Hodgson grew to become a visual face of the Trump administration’s sweeping immigration enforcement efforts in Southern California in June, as one of many solely unmasked brokers concerned within the controversial detention of Walmart worker Adrian Martinez, a U.S. citizen. Martinez was accused of interfering with Border Patrol brokers’ makes an attempt to detain one among his co-workers. Martinez was indicted and is awaiting trial.
Hodgson was a part of a bunch of officers who rushed Martinez and shoved him to the bottom. Though video from the scene didn’t present Hodgson bodily contact Martinez, his identify shortly grew to become public as he gave the impression to be the lone agent concerned within the controversial arrest who was not sporting a masks.
Hodgson was supposed to satisfy his dad and mom on the seaside the day he died however by no means confirmed up, in keeping with the coroner’s report. His cousin went to Hodgson’s dwelling to conduct a welfare test and located his physique.
Hodgson’s dad and mom advised police their son “had been depressed since being on administrative go away, however they said he was not suicidal and didn’t have any suicidal ideations,” in keeping with the report. Hodgson beforehand struggled with cocaine and alcohol abuse, his household stated, in keeping with the paperwork. However, they stated, Hodgson had been attending Alcoholics Nameless for about two months, in keeping with the coroner’s report.
A handwritten be aware present in Hodgson’s automotive was initially considered a suicide be aware however later was decided to be “a personality witness assertion for Hodgson dated again from June of 2025,” in keeping with the coroner’s report. Hodgson had been “receiving dying threats” after his private data was posted on-line, the report states.
As Hodgson was being processed by law enforcement officials following his arrest, physique cam footage confirmed he stated he was coping with stress and the implications of being recognized publicly on the web.
Bodycam footage supplied by the Lengthy Seashore Police Division.
“Have you ever ever had your private data put up on-line and on the f— information,” he stated. “Have you ever ever had f— folks arise at your dad and mom’ home since you’re over right here in Los Angeles doing every little thing, dude, that’s the f— man I’m.”
The U.S. Division of Homeland Safety has repeatedly claimed its officers are dealing with a surge in dying threats as protests in opposition to the Trump administration’s sprawling immigration raids in main cities together with Los Angeles and Chicago have ramped up. Just lately, the federal government sued California over a legislation that seeks to bar all native and federal legislation enforcement officers from sporting masks when performing official duties in public.
Representatives for the Division of Homeland Safety and U.S. Border Patrol didn’t instantly reply to requests for remark.
Instances employees author Brittny Mejia contributed to this report.
