Suicide victim found dead in vehicle in WindanSea parking lot was Miramar Marine

A suicide victim found in a red Pontiac in WindanSea Beach parking lot by locals Jan. 26 has been identified as Cpl. Cody B. Adler, 20, of Los Angeles, Calif., who was a small arms technician assigned to Marine Wing Headquarters Squadron 3, Third Marine Aircraft Wing.

According to a press release from Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, Adler entered the Marine Corps Nov.19, 2009 and was awarded the National Defense Service Medal and Global War on Terrorism Service Medal.

The cause of his death is currently under investigation.

When Adler’s body was found in the late morning, the incident was reported to police who immediately cordoned off the parking lot.

Bobby Kennedy, who lives two block away from the parking lot and was among a group of locals who discovered the body, said the Pontiac “was just sitting there” for several hours.

“We got curious as it got hotter, we thought, ‘This guy’s just sitting in his car and it’s smokin’ hot,’ ” Kennedy said. “It’s kind of unusual for somebody to just be sitting there all day: It (car) was all closed up. Some of the guys knocked on the door and there was no response. Then we opened the door … He wasn’t breathing. It looked like it was a suicide from a gunshot wound. We saw the blood and the gun.”

Kennedy said Adler was slumped over in the front passenger side of the car, was wearing clothing indicated he was with the military and was “30-something” in age.

“He had alcohol in there, a 12-pack and a bottle of rum or something,” Kennedy said. “It looked like he just got tossed and checked out.”

Kennedy said the victim “had a current military badge on his car,” adding the gun found with him “looked lik an issued weapon.”