Death of stripper turned Vegas judge ruled an accident brought on by a flesh-eating infection in her arm that went septic and toxic levels of opioid pain relievers
- Henderson Municipal Judge Diana Hampton’s death was ruled accidental
- She died from ‘sepsis due to necrotizing cellulitis of the lower right arm'
- The 50-year-old also had granulomatous lung disease and toxic levels of the drug fentanyl in her system
- Police said the investigation into the mother-of-two’s death is ongoing
A Nevada woman who stripped in Las Vegas to pay for law school and became a chief judge died from a flesh-eating infection in the arm.
Henderson Municipal Judge Diana Hampton’s death was ruled accidental by the Clark County coroner’s office, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reports.
The 50-year-old died from ‘sepsis due to necrotizing cellulitis of the lower right arm,’ but the coroner’s office was not able to determine the cause of the infection.
However, two other factors were found to have played a part in Hampton’s death: a granulomatous lung disease and toxic levels of the drug fentanyl in her system.
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Henderson Municipal Judge Diana Hampton’s death was ruled accidental by the Clark County coroner’s office, which found she died from ‘sepsis due to necrotizing cellulitis of the lower right arm’
Granulomatous lung disease is an inflammation of the lungs that is often caused by an infection that is brought on by the injection of a foreign substance.
Clark County coroner Jon Fudenburg said deaths caused by infection are usually ruled natural.
‘What made this an accident was the fentanyl intoxication,’ he told the Review-Journal. ‘Absent the fentanyl, it would have been ruled natural.’
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Police said the investigation into Hampton’s death is ongoing and declined to confirm whether or not she had a prescription for fentanyl, according to the Review-Journal.
The drug, a powerful synthetic opioid, is considered to be 50 to 100 times stronger than morphine by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - and 40 to 50 times more potent than heroin.
It is approved for managing acute or chronic pain. However, the CDC announced in October last year that with the help of the Drug Enforcement Administration, it is investigating increases in unintentional overdoses linked to fentanyl across multiple states across the U.S.
Two other factors were found to have played a part in Hampton’s death: a granulomatous lung disease and toxic levels of the drug fentanyl (above, file photo) in her system
The drug has been linked to the death of musician Prince recently – and other celebrity users include Michael Jackson.
Hampton was found dead in her home in Henderson on March 13 after police responded to a welfare check.
She overcame her past, having worked as a stripper for a year in 1998 to pay for her education at the California Western School of Law after graduating with an undergraduate degree in Kinesiology, to become Henderson’s first female judge.
The mother-of-two, who had served since 2005 as a municipal judge, was re-elected in 2011. Her term was due to end in June 2017.
She was married to Scott Hampton, now a Henderson police lieutenant, for more than a decade until their relationship ended in 2014.
Defense lawyer Ozzie Fumo, who Hampton once worked for as an intern, said she had called him before running for judge with concern her past might be an issue.
Fumo said Hampton never shied away from her past and said it didn't affect her skills as a lawyer or a judge. He advised her to 'embrace it', Fumo told The Las Vegas Review-Journal.
She was someone who 'really cared about doing the right thing,' he said.
Police discovered Hampton's body during a welfare check at her Henderson home (pictured) on March 13
Before she was elected judge, Hampton was deputy city attorney for Henderson and prosecuted drunken driving and domestic battery cases.
In her second year as judge, Hampton created the Advance Interactive Driver's Education program to teach juvenile drivers to become more alert and safer behind the wheel.
She was inspired to start the program after seeing 'firsthand the amount of underage catastrophes' on the road, according to her biography on the City of Henderson website. Henderson Mayor Andy Hafen said Hampton helped the city's youth understand 'the consequences of choices'.
'[She] helped them learn about personal responsibility and positive decision making,' he said after her death.
'She was a great advocate for justice and fairness. She was a leader, serving as Chief Judge and working tirelessly to help make our community better.'
'Her presence on the bench and in our community will be deeply missed.'
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