Radio personality Marshall died of heart attack

Radio personality Royal Marshall died of a heart attack, an investigator with the Fulton County Medical Examiner's office said Monday morning.

Marshall, 43, died unexpectedly on Saturday. The medical examiner said he had a heart attack caused by hypertensive cardiovascular disease.

Marshall's funeral will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday at Ray of Hope Christian, a DeKalb County church where he was a member for 18 years. Last year, Marshall was named a deacon at the church.

Marshall was a producer for the Neal Boortz show, which is broadcast weekdays on WSB Radio. He hosted his own show, "The Royal Treatment," prior to that and also worked on Clark Howard's show.

Boortz is among the colleagues and friends expected to speak at Marshall's funeral.

Marshall told his wife Saturday that he felt ill and asked for a glass of water, according to Rev. Cynthia Hale, Ray of Hope Christian pastor. He then fell and was unresponsive when his wife, Annette Marshall, returned. He was taken to Grady Memorial Hospital but could not be revived.

Colleagues at WSB were stunned to learn of Marshall's death. They remembered him for his kind character and sense of humor.