LAPD Rules Out Foul Play in Death of Michael Hastings

What's another conspiracy among friends?

Police in Los Angeles ruled out foul play in the death of journalist Michael Hastings, but the announcement Thursday did little to quell suspicions that the reporter's penchant for stories that made powerful figures uncomfortable led to his demise.

The Los Angeles County coroner on Thursday positively identified Hastings, 33, as the driver of the Mercedes that crashed on Highland Avenue near Melrose Avenue early Tuesday morning. In the two days since the crash, rumors and conspiracy theories have reached a fever pitch on the Internet. A report that Hastings was working on a story about drone surveillance in the U.S. and two cryptic tweets released by WikiLeaks on Wednesday added fuel to the fire.