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Autopsy Underway On USC's Mario Danelo

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Jan 7, 2007 7:26 pm US/Pacific

Autopsy Underway On USC's Mario Danelo

LOS ANGELES (CBS) ― An autopsy was underway Monday on the body of USC place kicker Mario Danelo, who was found dead over the weekend at the bottom of a cliff in San Pedro.

However, the autopsy findings probably will be listed as "inconclusive" until officials receive the results of toxicological tests to determine the presence of alcohol and/or drugs, according to Capt. Ed Winter of the coroner's office. Those results can take weeks.

Danelo apparently fell off the cliff sometime early Saturday, but the body was not found until about 4:30 p.m., when someone flying a remote-control plane noticed him about 150 feet down a cliff. The spot, near the Point Fermin Lighthouse, is only about a mile from his family's home.

"There's no crime," Los Angeles Police Department Officer Mike Lopez said Sunday. "It was either an accident or a suicide."

The 21-year-old junior in sociology was the Trojans' starting place kicker the past two seasons. He kicked two field goals to help USC beat Michigan in the Rose Bowl on New Year's Day.

Police said they had information that Danelo had been out with friends Friday night and was last seen about midnight.

Near signs warning of the dangers of treading too close to the cliff, friends left candles and flowers over the weekend. Someone spray-painted "Rest in peace Danelo." A USC flag was left at the site.

Coach Pete Carroll, who was on vacation, said in a statement released by the university over the weekend that he was stunned by the news.

"This is a great loss. Mario was a wonderful young man of high character and he was one heck of a kicker," Carroll said. "He was a key ingredient in our success these past few years."

The former San Pedro High School star was a walk-on who later earned a scholarship, along with USC's starting placekicker position in 2005 and 2006. He received All Pac 10 honorable mention both seasons.

In his career, he hit 26 of 28 field goals, including a streak of 15 in a row, and 127 of 134 extra points. This past season he hit 15 of 16 field goals and was 44 of 48 on extra points.

In 2005, he set NCAA season records for extra points made (83) and attempted (86). His 10 extra points made against Arkansas was a USC game record. He also was 11 of 12 on field goals.

The 5-foot-10-inch, 185-pounder was the son of former NFL kicker Joe Danelo, who played for Washington State (1972-74) before joining the Green Bay Packers (1975), New York Giants (1976-82) and Buffalo Bills (1983-84).

Danelo is the second USC athlete to die in the past eight months.

Basketball point guard Ryan Francis was fatally shot last May 13 in his native Baton Rouge, La., on a trip home to visit his mother.

(© 2007 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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