Overdose Killed In-N-Out CEO, Autopsy Shows

The recent death of In-N-Out Burger’s chairman and chief executive, H. Guy Snyder, was caused by an accidental overdose of a prescription painkiller, according to an autopsy report from the Los Angeles County coroner’s office.

Snyder, who headed the Irvine-based burger chain for six years, died last month at the age of 48. He was the second brother to run In-N-Out Burger to die unexpectedly.

According to the report, Snyder’s death was caused by an overdose of Hydrocodone, which is commonly sold as the prescription drug Vicodin. The coroner’s report also revealed that the executive had suffered from a series of health problems in his last year and had a history of drug abuse.

Snyder had overdosed three times in 1999 and had a heart attack three years earlier that was related to drug use, according to information given to investigators by Lynda Snyder, the executive’s former wife.

She said that her ex-husband had a history of drug abuse. She said Snyder had also used Methadone, according to the report. The drug is used to treat heroin and morphine addiction.

Snyder also suffered from a bout with pneumonia in May and had an enlarged heart, the report said.

The company, which runs a chain of 140 restaurants, declined to discuss the autopsy results Tuesday, issuing a brief statement saying, “The death of Guy is a family matter.”

On the day he died, Snyder had complained to a cousin that he was not feeling well and called 911 himself. He was taken to Antelope Valley Hospital at 1:08 a.m. on Dec. 4 and declared dead moments later.

Lynda Snyder could not be reached for comment Tuesday.

He was not involved in the chain until his brother, Richard, who was chief executive, died in 1993 when a chartered corporate jet crashed near the Santa Ana Auto Mall.

Family matriarch Esther Snyder, who founded the company in 1948 with her husband, Harry, is heading the company’s management team and remains its president.

In-N-Out, which has remained private since its inception, does not make its financial results public but was estimated to have $146.1 million in sales in 1998, a 7% increase from the previous year, according to Restaurants & Institutions magazine.