Rescue workers attempted to find Aston at 950 N. 500 West, but the battalion chief who accompanied the ambulance called off the search for the caller after about 15 minutes, Ireland said.

Aston wasn't discovered until Oct. 4, when relatives called police to report that the door to his apartment was locked, his television was on and his car was in the parking lot, but he failed to answer the door.

Police called a locksmith to let them in. Police found Aston's body when they entered, Ireland said.

An autopsy failed to determine the cause of death, she added.

Aston had been in the Dominican Republic with his new wife and had returned ahead of her, a family member told the Deseret Morning News. He became sick soon after returning to the United States and had been ill for at least two weeks before his 911 call.

After his body was found, a paramedic told police the case might be related to the call three days earlier.

A city investigation determined the two incidents were related, Ireland said, and the internal investigation was turned over to Ogden police.

The investigation ended recently and resulted in disciplinary action against at least two dispatchers. A dispatcher who originally took the call worked on an on-call basis, and he will not be called again, Deputy City Attorney David Dixon said.

A second dispatcher who helped with the call was also punished. Dixon refused to detail the punishment, citing personnel rules.

Three other unattended deaths took place in early October, but the families of the deceased haven't questioned police protocol, Ireland said.

A 35-year-old woman died Oct. 1 from complications from obesity. A 26-year-old man died Oct. 2 from a prescription drug overdose after taking an unknown medication. And another 26-year-old man died of pneumonia.

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E-mail: rodger@desnews.com