Father-In-Law of Landis Found Dead
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The father-in-law of embattled Tour de France winner Floyd Landis was found dead, and a family spokesman said Wednesday authorities were investigating it as a possible suicide.
David Witt, 57, was discovered in his car Tuesday afternoon in a San Diego parking garage, said Michael Henson, a Landis family spokesman.
“The Landises are devastated by the news of David’s death,” Henson told The Associated Press. “They loved him dearly, and they miss him.”
Witt was the stepfather of Landis’ wife, Amber.
San Diego police Lt. Kevin Rooney confirmed Witt’s body had been found but declined to say whether investigators were treating it as a possible suicide.
Landis, who lives in Murrieta, tested positive for high levels of testosterone after a tough Alpine stage July 20, when he made a remarkable comeback and went on to win the Tour. Both his “A” and “B” samples tested positive, and a separate test detected that at least some of the testosterone in his body was synthetic. Tour de France officials have said they no longer consider Landis the champion.
He and his attorneys have cited several possible reasons for the positive doping test: ingesting something that raised his testosterone; cortisone shots for pain in his degenerating hip; drinking beer and whiskey the night before the test; thyroid medication; his natural metabolism; and dehydration.
