Coroner says South Carolina trainer Elena Moore died of natural heart condition
Lexington County Coroner Margaret Fisher announced that missing trainer Elena Moore, 39, died of cardiac dysrhythmia with premature ventricular contractions. Fisher said there was no sign of homicide and that Moore's husband was never a suspect.
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The story, neutrally told
Right · 2Lexington County Coroner Margaret Fisher announced on Friday 9 October that Elena Moore, a 39-year-old South Carolina personal trainer, died from complications of cardiac dysrhythmia with premature ventricular contractions, an abnormal heart rhythm. Fox NewsR “Lexington County Coroner Margaret Fisher announced Friday that Moore died from complications of cardiac dysrhythmia with premature ventricular contractions, a condition involving an abnormal heart rhythm.” Read at Fox News ↗ New York PostR “Elena Moore, 39, died from complications of cardiac dysrhythmia with premature ventricular contractions, Lexington County Coroner Margaret Fisher revealed.” Read at New York Post ↗ Right · 2Fisher said the manner of death was natural and that authorities never saw anything indicating homicide. New York PostR “Fisher added that the manner of death was natural and that authorities “never saw anything that indicated homicide.”” Read at New York Post ↗ Fox NewsR “"We never saw anything that would indicate homicide. Nothing," Fisher said.” Read at Fox News ↗ Right · 1According to Fox News, the autopsy found no traumatic injuries, including broken bones, strangulation or sexual assault, and toxicology testing detected alcohol but no other substances. Fox NewsR “Fisher said the autopsy found no evidence of traumatic injuries, including broken bones, strangulation or sexual assault. Toxicology testing detected alcohol but no other substances.” Read at Fox News ↗
Right · 2Moore's body was found on 17 June, days after she disappeared on 11 June; she was last seen at a Planet Fitness in Lexington, about 14 miles outside Columbia, according to the New York Post, which said she was heading toward a wooded area behind a nearby Lowe's. New York PostR “The trainer was last seen at a Planet Fitness in Lexington — about 14 miles outside Columbia — and heading toward a wooded area behind a nearby Lowe's Home Improvement store on June 11.” Read at New York Post ↗ Fox NewsR “Moore was found dead June 17, six days after disappearing following her release from a mental health facility.” Read at Fox News ↗ Right · 1Fisher said Moore had been involuntarily committed on 5 June after a severe mental health crisis and was discharged on 11 June and placed in a taxi, though her husband had offered to collect her. Fox NewsR “Fisher confirmed Friday that Moore had been involuntarily committed June 5 after experiencing what she described as a severe mental health crisis.”“Her husband had offered to pick her up, but the facility arranged transportation instead.” Read at Fox News ↗ Right · 1Fisher said the taxi took Moore to a CVS on Sunset Boulevard, where she told a manager the driver was stalking her; police were called but she had left before officers arrived. Fox NewsR “Fisher said Moore entered the store and told a manager that the taxi driver was stalking her and trying to hurt her.”“The manager contacted Lexington police, but Moore was gone by the time officers arrived.” Read at Fox News ↗
Right · 1Her husband, Brannon Slice, reported her missing on 12 June, according to an incident report Fox News previously obtained; he told investigators she had checked into a Planet Fitness at 6:38 p.m., and she was later seen on surveillance footage in a Publix parking lot. Fox NewsR “Fox News Digital previously obtained an incident report showing that Slice reported his wife missing June 12”“She was subsequently seen on surveillance footage walking through a Publix parking lot on Old Cherokee Road.” Read at Fox News ↗ Right · 1Fisher said Slice was never considered a suspect or person of interest and credited him with repeatedly trying to get his wife help through the system. Fox NewsR “The coroner also addressed speculation surrounding Moore's husband, Brannon Slice, saying he was never considered a suspect or person of interest in the investigation.”“"He reached out. He tried many times to get her help."” Read at Fox News ↗ Right · 1Fisher said medical records showed Moore had had an irregular heartbeat since age 14, with later records documenting cardiac arrhythmia, sinus tachycardia and hypertension. Fox NewsR “including evidence that Moore had experienced an irregular heartbeat since she was 14. More recent records documented cardiac arrhythmia, sinus tachycardia and hypertension.” Read at Fox News ↗
Right · 1Fisher also questioned why the mental health facility discharged Moore despite a documented psychiatric crisis; the coverage does not include a response from the facility. Fox NewsR “Fisher questioned why Moore had been discharged from the mental health facility despite what she described as a documented psychiatric crisis.” Read at Fox News ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left0 outlets
No left outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Centre0 outlets
No centre outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Right2 outlets
- Framing
- Both outlets report the coroner's findings as settling speculation. The New York Post gives a short summary, while Fox News adds detail and frames the story around the coroner defending the husband and criticising the facility.
- Emphasis
- Natural cause of death, absence of homicide indicators, the husband's exoneration, and the discharge from the mental health facility.
- Leaves out or plays down
- No comment from the mental health facility, the taxi company or Slice himself. The Post leaves out the husband and the commitment details.
- Charged language
- “full mental crisis”“mysterious death”
- For example
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“died from heart problems following a “full mental crisis,” the coroner said.” — New York Post
“South Carolina fitness trainer's cause of death made public as coroner defends husband” — Fox News
What every side reports
- Elena Moore, 39, died of complications of cardiac dysrhythmia with premature ventricular contractions.
- The coroner ruled the manner of death natural and said there was no sign of homicide.
- Moore was last seen on 11 June and her body was found on 17 June.
Elena Moore person
Moore is described as having died of a natural heart condition after a severe mental health crisis and discharge from a facility.
“Elena Katherine Moore died of natural causes stemming from a heart condition” — Fox News
Brannon Slice person
Slice reported his wife missing on 12 June. The coroner says he was never a suspect and tried repeatedly to get her help; his own account in the coverage comes only from the incident report.
“"The only person that really tried to help this girl to get her help through the system is her husband," Fisher said.” — Fox News
Left0 articles
No coverage yet.
Centre0 articles
No coverage yet.
Right2 articles
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Neutral Brief report of the coroner's finding of natural death from a heart condition after a mental crisis.

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South Carolina fitness trainer's cause of death made public as coroner defends husband
Sympathetic Detailed account that centres the coroner's defence of the husband and her criticism of the facility's discharge of Moore.

- 9 Oct 18:33 First New York PostR South Carolina personal trainer Elena Moore’s cause of death revealed months after missing woman’s body found
- 9 Oct 19:23 +50m Fox NewsR South Carolina fitness trainer's cause of death made public as coroner defends husband
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.