LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — A forensic pathologist says an autopsy shows a Kentucky judge’s death was linked to tainted steroid shots at a Tennessee clinic.

George Nichols II performed the autopsy of Eddie Lovelace’s body at the request of the judge’s family.

Nichols said Wednesday the seemingly routine shots Lovelace received for neck and back pain contained a fungus. Nichols said the fungus caused a blood vessel infection, which in turn caused a stroke and Lovelace’s eventual death.

Lovelace was a longtime circuit judge in southern Kentucky who died Sept. 17 at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tenn.

He had received the injections at Saint Thomas Outpatient Neurosurgery Center in Nashville.

The tainted injections have been blamed for 28 deaths and 363 illnesses nationwide.

The injections were made by a Massachusetts specialty pharmacy.

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press.