The latest medical examiner’s report revealed a possible cause of death for 29-year-old Daniel Naroditsky. The world-renowned chess grandmaster and recent Stanford graduate is believed to have died of a cardiac arrhythmia, or irregular heartbeat, exacerbated by drugs in his system, according to a report.
The new findings ruled that his death was accidental and possibly due to an undiagnosed condition — but noted that Naroditsky had consumed methamphetamine and kratom, which may have contributed. The presence of such drugs “can increase the risk of heart attack,” said a report from the Mecklenburg County, NC, medical examiner’s office that was made public by the Charlotte Observer.
Kratom is an herbal extract from a plant native to Southeast Asia that has recently grown in popularity. In Los Angeles County, synthetic versions of the computer have been linked to multiple deaths.
But the medical examiner was clear that the drugs were “at a level considered non-toxic/non-lethal in forensic toxicology,” and said the medical findings refuted concerns about overdose, accidental or otherwise.
Naroditsky, who was originally from California but recently settled in North Carolina, was found dead by friends at his Charlotte home on October 19, two days after they noticed his “changed attitude” during one of his sources, the report said. Naroditsky built a career out of his chess success, teaching the game, broadcasting it online to thousands of fans, and, in 2022, was named a New York Times chess writer.
After that live broadcast, his friends searched him, “seizing about 40 pills described as ‘probably Adderall,’” the report said.
In his last live broadcast before his death, Naroditsky talked about the price he suffered due to the alleged cheating of former world chess champion Vladimir Kramnik. Naroditsky denied these allegations, which were not found.
“Since the Kramnik stuff, I feel like when I start doing good, people think the worst intentions. The story is a continuous effect of it,” Naroditsky said.
The International Chess Federation filed a formal complaint against Kramnik in November, accusing him of harassment and defamation of other players.
Kramnik, who called the coalition’s investigation “disgraceful and unfair,” sued the organization for defamation the following month.
In a text on Tuesday on the social network X, he called the death of Naroditsky “a great tragedy” and said that, shortly after, “a smear campaign was launched, linking me unfairly – without a factual basis – to the sudden death of Daniel.” He said death threats are what made him take legal action.
Two days after Naroditsky’s last exit, he was found dead, apparently suddenly and “without evidence of severe stress,” the report found. The partially eaten food was still on his dining table.
The suspected cardiac arrhythmia was due to an acquired condition known as “systemic sarcoidosis,” which can cause clots in the lungs and other organs, the report found. It listed drugs in his system as a contributing factor.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
