Updated: Bourne dead

Updated Jan. 28, 8:01 a.m. On the evening on Jan. 27, the Mono County Sheriff’s Department issued the following press release:

Dr. Andrew Bourne, age 46, of Mammoth Lakes, was found deceased by his spouse on the afternoon of Tuesday, Jan. 24. An autopsy was conducted on the morning of Friday, Jan. 27 by the Orange County Sheriff’s Department Coroner with results confirming that Dr. Bourne did commit suicide. There is no evidence to suspect foul play in his death. Final cause of death is still pending toxicological results which could take several weeks or longer.

All Mono County Sheriff’s Department press releases can be found at  www.monosheriff.org.

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On Tuesday, Jan. 24 at approximately 4 p.m. Mono County Sheriff’s Department dispatch received a 911 call regarding a deceased male in the Mammoth Lakes area. The Sheriff’s Department confirmed later that evening through a press release that the deceased was Dr. Andrew Bourne, 46, of Mammoth Lakes.

Bourne’s wife, Gilann, found his body on Hot Creek Hatchery Road outside of the Town of Mammoth, the release stated.

Long Valley Fire Department, California Highway Patrol, Mono County Paramedics and Mono County Sheriff’s Deputies were dispatched to the scene. When units arrived on scene, it was determined that Dr. Bourne was deceased. Cause of death is currently under investigation by the Mono County Sheriff’s Department. There is no evidence to suspect foul play according to the Sheriff’s Department.

Bourne was board certified in Surgery and Vascular Surgery by the American Board of Surgery, according to Mammoth Hospital’s website. He served as Vice Chief of Staff at Mammoth Hospital from 2008-2009 and was the Chief of Staff from 2010-2011. He also served on the Mammoth Unified School District Board from 2008-2012.

Bourne was arrested on Jan. 4 and booked for 8 counts of 288.3 PC, illegal communication with a minor to facilitate sexual activity. Bourne was booked at Mono County Jail and his bail was set at $1 million but was later reduced to $750,000, which Bourne posted. Reduction in bail had included the following conditions: no contact with direct or indirect witnesses; no contact with unrelated minors or the alleged victim; electronic monitoring; GPS installed on cars.

After posting bail, Bourne resigned from the Mammoth Unified School District Board. His contract with Mammoth Hospital was also terminated.

According to Bourne’s attorney, Ron Bamieh, once the death certificate is issued he would present it to the court. That document would effectively terminate the case.

When asked whether or not details regarding allegations against Bourne would still be revealed as part of evidence against Joe Walker, the other Mammoth man who was arrested at the same time as Bourne for alleged actions against the same victim, Bamieh explained the misconceptions that had surrounded the cases of the two men.

“What people don’t seem to be understanding is there was no commonality in facts between the two cases except that it was the same victim,” Bamieh said. “There have been a lot of misrepresentations of facts.” Including, Bamieh said, one officer who took references relating to Walker and attributed them to Bourne.

Bamieh claimed that the 400 pages of discovery he had reviewed before Bourne’s death showed no evidence of a sexual relationship with the now-15 year old victim.

“There could be facts I don’t know about, but what I had gone through made me very confident that we had a good defense,” he said.

In his last conversation with Bourne, he had stressed this point.

“I was optimistic about Andy’s defense and he knew that,” Bamieh said in a press release dated Jan. 25. “I spoke to Andy yesterday morning and expressed that optimism, and I have gone over our conversation in my head many times trying to figure out if there was any indication of what was to occur later that day.”

According to Bamieh, Bourne was struggling with the thought that the public had already made up its mind about him. “That is the reality of these types of charges,” Bamieh said. “No matter what the result, your reputation is ruined.”

According to Bamieh’s press release, “A few hours after their morning conversation, Mr. Bamieh became concerned for Dr. Bourne’s well being and began to make a series of phone calls and inquiries in an attempt to locate Dr. Bourne. From approximately 1:30 p.m. until Dr. Bourne was found at 3:45 p.m., a search was being conducted with Mr. Bamieh’s assistance to locate Dr. Bourne. At 3:30 p.m., the company who monitored the GPS device on Dr. Bourne’s Court ordered ankle bracelet called Mr. Bamieh and provided Dr. Bourne’s location. Mr. Bamieh conveyed that information to family and friends of Dr. Bourne, who rushed to that location where they found him. Family and friends of Dr. Bourne notified authorities.”