SANTA BARBARA The two Arroyo Grande men who were found dead on a boat in late June near the Santa Barbara Harbor died of carbon monoxide poisoning, according to the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department Coroner’s Bureau.
The toxicology reports for the victims, Gary Bishop, 53, and Christopher Avila, 49, were released Friday. The manner of death was determined to be accidental, authorities said.
A concerned family member contacted the Coast Guard at 8 a.m. June 30. Mr. Bishop and Mr. Avila were transporting Mr. Bishop’s boat from the Channel Island Harbor in Ventura to Port San Luis Obispo.
The missing vessel was located just before 8 p.m. June 30 approximately 20 miles southwest of Santa Barbara Harbor. The sheriff’s office took custody of the vessel and conducted a death investigation.
