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Coroner says stabbing killed Menlo Park man

by Sandy Brundage

The stab wounds Lawrence Cronin, 67, received on March 26 did kill the Menlo Park man two months later, San Mateo County Coroner Robert Foucrault said. However, without knowing more about the circumstances, he said he was unable to categorize the manner of death into one of three legal categories — accidental, self-inflicted, or homicide.

"He died of injuries related to his stab wounds. That doesn't change. It's the manner in which he got the stab wounds that remains to be determined," Mr. Foucrault said, and explained that the status may change as the police develop more information. The coroner described the wounds as "three to four superficial wounds," none in the back, that led to multiple organ system failure.

According to the police report, two men attacked Mr. Cronin as he stepped outside his insurance brokerage at 1100 Alma St. in Menlo Park around 9:45 p.m. on March 26. He was able to contact his wife after the attack, who took him to a local hospital, where he was released in stable condition following treatment, but he died on May 30.

The assailants were both described as Hispanic and about 5-foot-8-inches tall, with short hair and thin builds, and investigators released a sketch of one suspect. Police said Mr. Cronin wasn't able to confirm whether anything was stolen.

Questions surrounding the incident have left those working in the same building uneasy. One worker said that as the attack reportedly took place as Mr. Cronin carried out the garbage that night, he has concerns about his own safety.

"The building is right next to Caltrain; there's a lot of transient activity there and it may not be quite as safe as other parts of Menlo Park, I think," he said. "It's a public matter. I understand the family needs privacy, but it's a public safety issue."

The night of the incident, those working nearby reportedly were unaware that anything unusual had taken place, he said.

The investigation remains ongoing, according to police.