Los Angeles police investigating the death of Michael Jackson are desperately searching for lost surveillance footage taken from the King of Pop's Hollywood home that could solve the mystery surrounding the final moments of his life.
The pop superstar suffered a cardiac arrest in one of the bedrooms in his rented Holmby Hills mansion on 25 June (09), and was found unconscious by members of his staff, including personal medic Dr. Conrad Murray.
Authorities seized vials of prescription drugs from Jackson's property immediately after his tragic passing as they searched for clues as to the cause of his death.
But detectives are reportedly missing the CCTV footage of that fateful morning - which they hope will prove to be a crucial piece of evidence in unravelling the timeline of events that led up to Jackson's passing.
A source tells the National Enquirer, "It was a very sophisticated and high-tech surveillance and security system. Not only were there cameras outside the house, but there were cameras inside as well - in private locations.
"Insiders close to the investigation say Michael's death - possibly his murder - was captured on camera, but the video has not been recovered. There are also gaps in some security camera footage stored on computer hard drives. Police are combing through personal computers recovered from the house."
On Wednesday (15Jul09), a police spokesperson dismissed reports the Jackson investigation had turned into a homicide case following claims on an online blog.