Coroner: Son of former YouTube executive died from accidental drug overdose

Coroner: Son of former YouTube executive died from accidental drug overdose

BERKELEY — The cause of death of Marco Troper, the 19-year-old son of a former YouTube executive who died in his UC Berkeley dormitory in February, was an accidental drug overdose, the Alameda County Coroner’s Office has determined.

The Coroner’s Investigator Report lists the cause of death as “acute combined drug toxicity” and notes it was an “accidental manner.”

According to the coroner’s investigation, Troper had high concentrations of alprazolam, cocaine, amphetamine and hydroxyzine in his system when he died Feb. 13. There were also low levels of THC present in his system.

Alprazolam, sometimes branded as Xanax, is frequently prescribed to manage panic and anxiety disorders. Hydroxyzine is also used to help control anxiety and tension caused by nervous and emotional conditions.

The report says Troper was found by roommates not breathing in his bed in his room on the Clark Kerr Campus. “Suspected illicit and prescription drugs, including Percocet and oxycodone were fond in abundance” in the room but there was no evidence of physical trauma, the report says.

He was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics.

A UC Berkeley spokesperson said Thursday the university would not be commenting on the coroner’s findings.

Troper was the son of Susan Wojcicki, who was You Tube’s CEO from 2014 to February 2023.