Autopsy Sheds Little Light on Chef Trotter's Death

An autopsy on acclaimed chef Charlie Trotter found no signs of foul play or trauma today, but officials will conduct further tests to determine the exact cause of death. The Cook County Medical Examiner's Office said the tests would include toxicology analysis, but it did not list the type of tests or the reason for doing them. Trotter, 54, was declared dead yesterday at a Chicago hospital after paramedics found him unresponsive in his home.

After his death, friends and co-workers said that in recent years they had become increasingly worried about his health, which they said appeared to be deteriorating. Larry Stone, a longtime friend and sommelier who once worked for Trotter, said doctors had advised the chef years ago not to fly or exert himself but that Trotter was determined to remain active. Trotter traveled extensively and operated his namesake Charlie Trotter's restaurant, one of the nation's most famous, until the summer of 2012. (More Charlie Trotter stories.)