'Somebody Didn't Do Their Job': Man Found Dead Inside PPG Paints Arena Bathroom After 40 Hours

UPDATE 1/9/2020: The Allegheny County Medical Examiner said Helbig's death was accidental. His cause of death was a combined drug poisoning of oxymorphone and buprenorphine.

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- The family of a man who was found dead in a bathroom at PPG Paints Arena wants to know why his body went undiscovered for more than 40 hours.

During the Oct. 5th game at the arena featuring the Penguins and the Blue Jackets, Tim Helbig — a sound technician working for AT&T Sportsnet — complained of severe pain and told co-workers he needed to leave.

It would be the last time anyone would see or speak with him.

Two days later — in a check before Oct. 7's Black Keys concert — Helbig's body was found inside a locked family bathroom on the arena's third-floor concourse.

He had been in that bathroom — undiscovered — for more than 40 hours and his brother, Kurt, wants to know why.

"Evidently, he went into a bathroom on the way out," Kurt said. "Somebody didn't do their job. The bathrooms weren't checked. Arenas should have a protocol. I would think you'd want your fans to be out of the arena."

Helbig said his brother had broken some ribs weeks before in a car accident and had been working through some pain.

The Medical Examiner Office has not yet completed its report on Tim Helbig's death.

But the detective on the case told the family there was no sign of foul play.

"Definitely have anger," Kurt Helbig said. "Everybody told me how well he did his job. If someone else would have done theirs, you and I wouldn't be talking."

Kurt: She said there was no sign of injury, no trauma, no sign of foul play and this is the killer — rigor mortis had just set in.
Andy Sheehan: What does that say to you?
Kurt: He was alive ... for a long time.
Andy Sheehan: You believe he could have been saved?
Kurt: Hey, if you have five hours, it could have made the difference.

It is not known when Tim Helbig died, and medical experts say it is very difficult to determine a time of death in these cases.

ASM Global, which manages and operates the arena, issued a statement of condolence, saying it was conducting its own investigation.

"We have been coordinating with the family and authorities, and we regret the loss of this long-time worker at the arena. We are in the process of conducting an internal investigation."