Barnaby Jack died in San Francisco on 25 July 2013. The San Francisco Medical Examiner’s autopsy report classified his death as an accident caused by acute mixed-drug intoxication involving heroin, cocaine, diphenhydramine and alprazolam.
What the autopsy report says
The report lists the manner of death as “Accident” and gives the cause as “acute mixed drug (heroin, cocaine, diphenhydramine, alprazolam) intoxication.” The case is identified as 2013-0726. A copy of the report is hosted by SecurityWeek; it should not be mistaken for a document hosted on the medical examiner’s official website.
When the finding became public
Initial coverage on 26 July 2013 said the cause of death was still under investigation, as reported by CBS/AP. In early January 2014, AFP and AAP reports described the death as an accidental overdose and named the substances. SBS’s AAP report, published on 5 January, referred to alprazolam by the brand name Xanax; the autopsy report uses the generic name.
Who was Barnaby Jack?
Jack was a software security researcher at IOActive Labs, known for research involving ATM security and medical devices. At the time of the first reports, he was scheduled to present at Black Hat on implantable medical devices. His death was reported in July 2013, before that presentation.
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Black Hat’s statement, quoted in the CBS/AP report, praised Jack’s ability to make complex technology and research accessible. AFP’s January 2014 report also quoted a tribute from IOActive. These accounts provide context about his work, but the medical examiner’s report—not tributes or early news coverage—establishes the official cause and manner of death.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What the finding does not establish
The report names the substances and classifies the death as accidental. The cited reporting does not establish their quantities, where they came from, how they were taken, or the precise sequence of events. The manner-of-death classification answers whether the death was categorized as accidental; it does not supply those additional details.
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