WIKILEAKS' release of Vault 7 has reignited conspiracy theories about the CIA's involvement in the death of Michael Hastings, an investigative journalist killed in a car crash in 2013.

The trove of secret information, which allegedly comes from the CIA's Cyber Intelligence Centre, suggests US spies have explored hacking into vehicles remotely to carry out "undetectable assassinations".

5 Michael Hastings was an investigative journalist who died after his car crashed into a tree and burst into flames in 2013 Credit: Getty Images

Here's what we know about Hastings' death, the Vault 7 documents and conspiracy theories that they could be linked.



Who was Michael Hastings?

The war correspondent and investigative journalist was killed when his car smashed into a tree and burst into a giant fireball in the early hours of June 18 2013.

Hastings - a vocal critic of government mass surveillance - had sent an email to colleagues and friends just 12 hours earlier, telling them he was onto a “big story” and was under investigation.

The Buzzfeed and Rolling Stone contributor, 33, wrote: “The Feds are interviewing my ‘close friends and associates’.

5 Hastings' body was so severely charred he had to be identified by his fingerprints Credit: Getty Images

"May be wise to immediately request legal counsel before any conversations or interviews about our news-gathering practices.

"I’m onto a big story and need to go off the radar for a bit."

WikiLeaks also tweeted after the crash to say Hastings had contacted its lawyer Jennifer Robinson just before his death, claiming the FBI was investigating him.

The FBI took a "departure from normal policy" to deny that Hastings had ever been under investigation after receiving a barrage of calls about his death.

Hastings came to prominence after a profile he wrote for Rolling Stone on Stanley McChrystal, then commanding general in Afghanistan, which led to his resignation.

The journalist gained unprecedented access when he was stranded with McChrystal due to the Icelandic ash cloud in 2010.

5 The 33-year-old suffered post-traumatic stress disorder after his time in Iraq and Afghanistan Credit: Getty Images

What kind of car was Michael Hastings driving?

Hasting was driving a Mercedes C250 Coupe when he appeared to lose control and crash head-on into a palm tree at 4.25am in Hancock Park, Los Angeles.

Witnesses said the car appeared to be going at top speed creating "sparks and flames" before leaving the road.

But the LAPD said there was no sign of foul play in the crash.

Assistant chief coroner Ed Winter said afterwards: "We don't know if he was just speeding and lost control, if he had a medical issue, if he passed out or had a heart attack ... or if he had a mechanical failure."

5 Flowers were laid at the scene of the crash in Los Angeles, as conspiracy theorists suggested intelligence agencies may tampered with the car remotely Credit: Getty Images

Was Michael Hastings killed by the CIA?

Conspiracy theorists claim Hastings could have been assassinated by an intelligence agency due to the story he said he was working on.

The Wikileaks' release appears to confirm that this sort of technology has been explored, which it says would "permit the CIA to engage in nearly undetectable assassinations".

But Hastings' wife Elise and his brother Jonathan have both said they do not believe he was murdered.

Elise said he was working on a profile of CIA director John Brennan at the time of his death.

She told CNN: “I have no doubt that he was pursuing a hot story. He always had at least five hot stories going. That was Michael.

5 Michael's family have dismissed suggestions the crash was anything other than a devastating accident Credit: Getty Images

"My gut here is that it was just a really tragic accident and I’m unlucky in the world, the world was very unlucky.”

And his brother Jonathan said he believes Hastings was suffering a "manic episode", possibly triggered by drugs.

He was trying to convince his brother to go into rehab, but Hastings snuck out of his apartment while he slept.

Jonathan told the blog Uncouth Reflections: "He crashed his car before anyone could do anything to help him.

"I was one of the last people to see him alive and I was one of the few people who could really put his behaviour on that day in context."

Toxicology reports found traces of marijuana - which had been prescribed - and crystal meth in his system, but the coroner ruled these were not a factor in the crash.

Reports also say Hastings had bipolar disorder and suffered post-traumatic stress disorder after his time in Iraq and Afghanistan.