All of a sudden, friends say Danny Gans had high blood pressure and a history of heart problems in his family

For seven days after the unexplained death of Las Vegas strip headliner Danny Gans, his two closest friends, manager Chip Lightman and beauty queen turned TV entertainment reporter Alicia Jacobs, claimed to have no idea what could have killed the 52-year-old former athlete.

A little more than twenty-four hours ago, Alicia Jacobs repeated the claim to us in an exclusive interview:

"I can’t imagine that he would have done anything that would be unhealthy because the Danny that I knew was a complete health fanatic... I can’t imagine how he would be taking pain killers or doing any drugs and function the way that he did. I can’t imagine that he would be able to do what he did. He really was an athlete when he was onstage.”

Today, Lightman and Jacobs say they knew all along that Gans had high blood pressure "for years," as well as a family history of heart problems.

Jacobs told us yesterday she had not heard the rumours that steroids or painkilling drugs were factors. And when we asked if she had any idea of what could have contributed to Gans' death, she did not mention high blood pressure or a family history of heart problems

Today, Norm Clarke of The Las Vegas Review-Journal reports:

"Lightman acknowledged he was heard 'all the rumors' but said he is not concerned about what might surface in the toxicology tests that could take several more weeks before the Clark County coroner’s office releases the results.

"I can swear on a Bible I never saw Danny involved with drugs,” said Lightman. “I can’t imagine that being a factor. In my 18 years he’s never done one thing in front of me. Ever. I’d be surprised.”

"...KVBC-TV, Channel 3 entertainment reporter Alicia Jacobs, a close friend of Gans, said she was aware of Gans’ high blood pressure.

“'But he took very good care of himself because of it and he certainly had it under control as far as I knew,' said Jacobs...

"He was an athlete in a lot of ways," said Jacobs. "Who amongst us, that work out on regular basis, doesn’t have a constant ache or pain. I’m sure he took Motrin. I think that’s about as adventurous as he ever got.”

In our talk with Alicia Jacobs yesterday, we spoke about the speculation and talk among Las Vegas insiders, and how conspiracy theories were developing because of an information vacuum. Are these sudden revelations a result of our conversation and interview?

Developing...