A man lying on East Beach near the volleyball courts did not respond when a person walking by spotted him early on Monday morning. The individual, who was metal-detecting on the beach at about 6:45 a.m., made a call to 9-1-1, said Sergeant Ethan Ragsdale, spokesperson for the Santa Barbara Police Department. Until paramedics could arrive, the dispatchers instructed the caller on life-preserving measures to give the man, who was identified today as David Heller, 54, of Santa Barbara. He was taken to Cottage Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Ragsdale said the death did not appear to be suspicious, but the police investigation was ongoing.
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