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Ex-US Skating Champ Christopher Bowman found dead in Los Angeles Motel

HOLLYWOOD, California (AFP) — Two-time US national figure skating champion Christopher Bowman was found dead inside a Los Angeles motel, police said Thursday.

Bowman, who was known as "Bowman the Showman", was discovered face down on the floor at the Budget Inn motel on Sepulveda Ave in the early afternoon Thursday, Los Angeles police spokesman Paul McLaughlin said.

The 40-year-old Bowman died of unknown causes but the Detroit Free Press reported that the death might be the result of a drug overdose.

Bowman was born in Hollywood and had done some work in the movie industry as a child. He returned to acting since retiring from skating.

He appeared in American television series "Little House on the Prairie" as a youngster and had a role in an upcoming movie starring Gary Busey called "Down and Distance."

Police said they were alerted to the scene by a man who said he was a friend of Bowman's and they had been drinking together the night before.

The man told police he had been friends with the figure skater for the last three months. He said "he was with Bowman at midnight and he (Bowman) had been sitting at the edge of his bed drinking," McLaughlin said.

"When he went into his room this morning he found Bowman face down on the floor," McLaughlin added. "That's when he called us."

Bowman won US national championships in 1989 and 1992, was second in the 1989 world championships and third in 1990.

Bowman competed in two Olympics, finishing fourth in the 1992 Olympics.

It is not known if Bowman's death is accidental or suicide, but an autopsy is expected to be performed this weekend.

Bowman, who spent time in the Betty Ford Clinic after admitting to a cocaine habit, coached skating for 10 years in Detroit.

Bowman's ex-wife, Annette, and his daughter live in Michigan.

Article source: http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5gA5NpM-dQxUdBPe-gwbllf7RCn8w