Ex-Putin Aide Who Died in D.C. Hotel Said Killed by Blunt Force

Mikhail Lesin, a former aide and minister under Russian President Vladimir Putin who was found dead in his hotel room in Washington last year, was killed by blunt force injuries to the head, the Washington chief medical examiner’s office said Thursday.

Lesin, who served as information minister under Putin and advised the president on media policies, until December 2014 ran one of Russia’s biggest media operations, Gazprom Media. He was also a founder of the Russia Today news channel, now known as RT.

Lesin was found dead in November 2015 at the Dupont Circle Hotel. He died of a heart attack, Russian state news service RIA Novosti reported at the time.

The Washington medical examiner said today that in addition to the blows to the head, the 59-year-old Lesin suffered blunt- force injuries to his neck, torso, arms and legs. The examiner released its findings in a joint statement with Washington’s police department.

The manner of death, or how Lesin was killed, was listed as undetermined.

"There is an active, ongoing investigation" into the incident, said Hugh Carew, a spokesman for the police. He declined to comment further. LaShon Beamon, a spokeswoman for the medical examiner’s office, also declined to comment beyond the statement.