I got an email today from a friend overseas cryptically pointing out “Scalia was declared dead over the phone by a Coroner named Guevara … Scalia has never been to the remote hunting lodge before. No security detail, no autopsy.” That reminded me that in the US, nothing significant happens without a proliferation of alternative theories. And sure enough, theories have started flying around about dark doings.

Even before My San Antonio reported that lodge owner John Poindexter said, “We discovered the judge in bed, a pillow over his head. His bed clothes were unwrinkled,” people began speculating online that Scalia had been murdered.

Leading the list of reasons was a backlog of cases involving abortion, affirmative actions, unions and the 2nd Amendment before the Supreme Court that could stall out with the loss of the court’s most conservative justice.

No discussion of conspiracy theories in America can begin without first checking in with Alex Jones of Infowars, who immediately posted a “emergency transmission” on his Facebook page Saturday night after news of Scalia’s death was announced.

According to Jones, Scalia had likely been murdered by President Obama in much the same manner the president killed conservative gadfly Andrew Breitbart, who died on a Brentwood sidewalk from a heart attack.

“You just get used to this, ‘Scalia found, it’s natural, nothing going on here, he just died naturally,’” Jones stated. “And you’re like, ‘Whoa. Red flag.’ Then you realize, Obama is one vote away from being able to ban guns, open the borders and actually have the court engage in its agenda — and now Scalia dies. I mean, this is hard core.”

Jones went on to suggest that Associate Justice Clarence Thomas — with a voting record nearly identical to Scalia’s — might “die of a heart attack next week.”

The fact that Scalia was 79 years old, somewhat overweight, and reportedly had a history of health problems suggest natural causes. As far as I know, it is not unusual to not have an autopsy if the person’s physician is of the opinion that his past health history does not arouse suspicions.

There is still the possibility of an autopsy, if for no other reason than to try and quell these rumors. But even if that produces no suspicion of foul play, that will not stop the rumor mill. Those things have a life of their own.