Cause of ex-Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officer’s death near golf course revealed

A former Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police officer died of a rare heart condition while collecting golf balls near Mooresville Golf Course in April, an autopsy report shows.

Michael Scott Bell was found dead down a 20-foot embankment near the course where he frequently collected golf balls, according to the report released by the North Carolina Medical Examiner’s Office on Monday.

The 40-year-old Bell died of lymphocytic myocarditis, the medical examiner’s office ruled. The condition is a rare inflammation of the heart muscle that can cause sudden death.

His past medical history included only a “syncopal,” or fainting spell three weeks before he died, according to the Iredell County medical examiner, the report said. Syncope is a temporary loss of consciousness usually related to insufficient blood flow to the brain, according to the American Heart Association.

Bell was hired by the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department in 2009 and served through December 2016, most recently in the University City Division.

He last contacted his family the evening before his body was found. His family called Mooresville Police to report him missing, and a search of the golf course ensued. His family was concerned for his safety due to some recent health issues, police said at the time.

This story was originally published July 31, 2017 at 8:06 PM with the headline "Cause of ex-Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officer’s death near golf course revealed."