William Fals-Stewart, a former researcher in the UB Research Institute on Addictions, was found dead in his Eden home on Tuesday. He was 48 years old.
Eden Police say Fals-Stewart's wife found him 'unresponsive' in their home. Police responded to her 911 call, and performed CPR, but were unable to revive him.
'We don't know what the cause of death was,' Eden Police Investigator Shawn Bishop said.
Fals-Stewart made headlines recently after he was arrested and charged with attempted grand larceny, three counts of perjury, three counts of identity theft, two counts of offering a false instrument and three counts of falsifying a business record on Feb. 16. All charges are felonies.
Fals-Stewart was accused of falsifying witnesses in a misconduct hearing. He allegedly hired actors to pose as research subjects, without their knowledge, to testify on his behalf, providing them with detailed scripts. The false testimonies caused Fals-Stewart to be exonerated, according to Attorney General Andrew M. Cuomo.
He then attempted to sue the state for $4 million for wrongful termination of his job at UB. He was let go from the university for academic misconduct for allegedly fabricating data in federally funded research projects.
If convicted Fals-Stewart could have faced up to 15 years in prison.
As it was considered an unattended death, an autopsy was performed Wednesday morning by Erie County Medical Examiners. Results have not yet been released. Police say the investigation is ongoing and they're waiting for toxicology results.
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Photo: Breadchastick / Wikimedia Commons
