A Border Patrol agent died of a drug overdose after being arrested, an autopsy said

A US Border Patrol agent who was found dead in his Riverside County home earlier this year following a cocaine overdose and suffered from depression, according to an autopsy report released Tuesday.

ISAYA HoDGSON, 29, was found dead in his bedroom in Hemet in late August with “remains that match” the coroner’s office, according to investigative documents released by the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office.

Authorities ruled Hodgson’s death accidental and found three plastic ties, often used to hold drugs, in his stomach, according to the coroner’s report. Riverside County Sheriff’s authorities previously said there were no signs of foul play at the scene, and the report confirmed that Hodgson had no confirmed injuries or defensive wounds. His official cause of death was described as “cocaine poisoning.”

In early July, Hodgson was arrested in Long Beach for fighting with city police. Prosecutors have charged Hodgson with three counts of resisting arrest, one count of battery causing injury to a police officer and several counts of battery after he verbally abused responding officers at a Shore Village restaurant. Employees then kicked Hodgson out, reporting that he wandered into the women’s lounge while armed.

In dramatic body cam footage shared by the Times, Cod Beach police officers approached Hodgson on July 7 after a 911 call was made by a security guard reporting that Hodgson had reported a gunshot.

“You showed me a nice clip,” said the guy on the phone on audio audio that was received at the time.

When the officers got to Hodgson, they yelled, “Get off the ground” and “put your hands down.”

Hodgson put his hands up but wouldn’t get to the ground. He also suggested to officials that he worked for the police department: “You’re stupid, I’m a PD,” he said.

It took several officers to get Hodgson to kneel down. Another officer misused a taser on him.

The charges against Hodgson are expected to be dismissed in court next month, according to a spokesman for the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office.

Hodgson became the visible face of the Trump Administration to enforce efforts to deal with the collapse of California in Southern California in June, as one of the unlimited suppliers involved in the controversial pink of Walmart prisoner Adrian Martinez, to become an American citizen. Martinez was accused of interfering with Border Patrols’ efforts to arrest one of his co-workers. Martinez was charged and is awaiting trial.

Hodgson was part of a group of officers who rushed Martinez and tackled him to the ground. Although video from the scene did not show Hodgson physically touching Martinez, his name quickly became public as he appeared to be the only one involved in the arrest.

Hodgson was supposed to meet his parents at the beach the day he died but never showed, according to the Coroner’s report. Her cousin went to Hodgson’s home to do a welfare check and found her body.

Hodgson’s parents told police their son “had been depressed since they put him on administrative leave, but they said he wasn’t suicidal and didn’t have suicidal thoughts,” according to the autopsy report. Hodgson previously struggled with cocaine and alcohol abuse, his family said, according to documents.

A handwritten note found in Codgson’s car was initially thought to be a suicide note but was later determined to be “Hodgson’s Acting witness statement dating back to June of 2025,” according to the Coroner’s report. Hodgson has been ‘receiving death threats’ after his personal details were posted online, the report says.

As Hodgson was questioned by police following his arrest, body cam footage showed he was dealing with the stress and consequences of being publicly identified on the Internet.

“You used to have your private information stored online and in the news,” she said. “You once made people stand up at your parents’ house because you passed here in Los Angeles and did everything, dude, that’s the Fowumi I am.”

The Government Department of Halmand Security also said that its police are facing the threat of death due to attacks on the migration of people from major cities including Los Angeles and Chicago. Recently, the government sued California over a law that requires all local and state police officers to wear masks while performing official duties in the public.

Representatives for the Department of Homeland Security and the US Border Patrol did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Times Cast Writer Brittny MeJia contributed to this report.