The sex was — quite literally — killer.

Bob Caldwell, 63, editor of The Oregonian’s editorial pages for over 20 years, succumbed to cardiac arrest following a “sex act” with a 23-year-old woman in her Tigard, Ore. apartment Saturday.

The Portland Community College student told police that she began an affair with Caldwell over a year ago, and that he would give her money to buy school books in exchange for sex, The Oregonian reported.

Police will not pursue prostitution charges, because the woman said Caldwell did not give her money that day.

The Oregonian was compelled to run a correction after originally reporting that Caldwell had died alone in a parked car. The obligatory follow-up conducted by Caldwell’s former paper revealed that he was having an affair with the young woman.

Under Caldwell’s charge, the newspaper won a Pulitzer Prize for a series of editorials on abuse at the Oregon State Hospital.

Caldwell is survived by his wife and children, who may have been surprised that this is the way his life ended. Not with a whimper, but a bang.

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