By Daily Press staff
A Latino man found dead on Santa Monica Beach last week has been identified as 51-year-old David Anthony Nieto of Los Angeles.
Nieto was found at about 5 a.m. on Aug. 18 lying face down near the water just north of the Santa Monica Pier wearing socks, a T-shirt with a plaid shirt and blue shorts.
A preliminary report noted that Nieto, who suffered a head injury from an unknown source, may have drowned in the Pacific Ocean.
Officials from the Los Angeles County Coroner’s Office have ordered toxicology reports, and said the cause of death will not be released for at least a month.
Nieto was identified by his fingerprints. Though he did not possess a driver’s license, Nieto had a criminal history and had used his brother’s name as an alias.
“He’s got a record in the system and he was apparently on probation,” said coroner spokesman Craig Harvey.
Officials said it is unlikely Nieto was swimming because he was clothed.
It appears unlikely that Nieto fell off a boat because watercraft don’t frequent the area north of the pier, officials said. The likelihood of him falling off the pier is small because the current and tide were not strong enough to carry him hundreds of feet down the beach to where his body was found, officials said.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on August 26, 2003. Read the original PDF.