The man who shot four University of Nevada, Las Vegas professors and killed three had oxycodone and erectile dysfunction medication in his bloodstream when he died and was found with a list of names and room numbers near him, according to an autopsy report.
Anthony Polito, 67, killed Patricia Navarro Velez, 39, Cha Jan “Jerry” Chang, 64, and Naoko Takemaru, 69, in the Dec. 6 shooting. He critically injured another professor, who wanted to stay anonymous, authorities previously said.
Polito, who was armed with 150 rounds of ammunition and had a target list, according to police, was a business professor who had been rejected from jobs at UNLV. He was fatally shot by UNLV police.
At the scene, investigators found what appeared to be a laminated notecard with names and room numbers on it, according to the autopsy report, which the Las Vegas Review-Journal received Monday from the Clark County coroner’s office.
Polito’s cause of death was gunshot wounds and the manner of death was homicide, according to the report, which is signed by Nathan Shaller, a forensic pathologist, and dated June 15. The report said Polito opened fire on police before they shot him.
A lab analyzed Polito’s blood and found that it was positive for the painkiller oxycodone and tadalafil, a generic name for Cialis, which treats erectile dysfunction, the report said. He had 15 nanograms per millileter of oxycodone in his bloodstream and 84 nanograms per millileter of tadalafil. His oxycodone level was far below the U.S. Department of Transportation testing threshold of 100 nanograms per millilter for urine tests.
Investigators found Polito’s body lying in front of the Frank and Estella Beam Hall in the 4500 block of Maryland Parkway. A cigarette case and a Taurus 9mm handgun were near him and he was wearing pouches containing nine magazines. He was dressed in a coat and tie.
Contact Noble Brigham at nbrigham@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BrighamNoble on X.