Inquest into the death of Jean-Louis Langlois

50y · Male·Immersion, with alcohol intoxication and doxepin toxicity being significant factors contributing to the death

Jean-Louis Langlois, a 50-year-old French-Australian man with significant mental health issues, alcohol dependence, and chronic social difficulties, was found deceased on Wanda Beach in January 1997. He died from immersion with contributing factors of alcohol intoxication and doxepin (tricyclic antidepressant) toxicity. His body was identified only in 2021 through advanced fingerprint technology, despite his fingerprints being on file since 1989. The 24-year delay in identification was due to poor quality 1997 fingerprint records, limitations of 1980s NAFIS technology, and failure to manually file his 1989 fingerprints using the Henry Classification System. The coroner could not determine where or how he entered the water, or whether his death was intentional or accidental.