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Prince Autopsy Rules Out Suicide, But Other Questions Remain

By Toni Matthews
Published on: 00:34 PST, Apr 23, 2016

The world is still reeling from the news that music icon Prince is no longer living. The singer, known for hits like “Purple Rain” and “Raspberry Beret,” was found dead in his Chanhassen, Minn. home on Thursday. As news of Prince’s passing spread, fans began to wonder and theorize what could have caused the 57-year-old’s sudden death.

TheWrap reports the Midwest Medical Examiner’s Office in Ramsey conducted an autopsy early Friday. Spokeswoman Martha Weaver said the autopsy began at 9 a.m. CT and lasted for roughly four hours.

A tweet confirmed the autopsy, stating that “the results are pending.”

Although the results are incomplete, Prince’s autopsy did answer a couple of very important questions. County Sheriff Jim Olson revealed some preliminary results during a press conference Friday, stating there were “no obvious signs of trauma” on Prince’s body.

He added, “There’s no reason to believe at this point that [Prince’s death] was a suicide.”

Prince, whose full name was Prince Rogers Nelson, was last seen alive at around 8 p.m. on Wednesday evening. An acquaintance reportedly dropped the singer off at Paisley Park, his home and recording studio.

Staff members became concerned when they attempted to reach Prince on Thursday morning by phone but received no response. When they arrived to check on him, he was found unresponsive in an elevator. Prince was alone, which Olson said wasn’t unusual because of the private nature of the reclusive artist.

Paramedics were summoned to Prince’s estate at a little after 9:30 a.m. The first responders attempted CPR but were unsuccessful. CNN reports the singer was pronounced dead at 10:07 a.m.

The shocking news of Prince’s death raised many questions, with speculations as to the cause spreading across social media. When asked, the sheriff would not comment as to whether anything was removed from the home by investigators. Olson was also unable to confirm whether Prince was taking medication at the time of his death.

TMZ hinted that the sudden nature of Prince’s passing could be tied to an alleged Percocet overdose rumored to have happened within days of his death. Percocet “is a painkiller which contains a combination of acetaminophen and oxycodone.” TMZ also noted that the medication “is highly addictive.”

“Prince had OD’d on Percocet days before his death, and he ingested so much, EMTs had to administer a “save shot” at the airport where his plane made an emergency landing to save his life.”

“Sources in Moline, Illinois tell TMZ, Prince’s entourage told responders he had taken the painkiller after his Atlanta concert which triggered the emergency.”

Is it possible that Prince overdosed on prescription medication? Unfortunately, a definite answer may be weeks away. The medical examiner’s office declared in a statement Friday that completed autopsy results might not be available for “days or weeks depending on the type of testing.” That means in the meantime gossip news sources may start drawing links between alleged medication abuse and the singer’s death.

It’s important to remember that no such proof exists and likely will not exist until a toxicology report is available alongside final autopsy results.

Prince was hospitalized late last week in Moline, Illinois; he was allegedly suffering from “flu-like symptoms.” Multiple reports claim Prince’s team asked for a private room, but the request was denied by hospital staff. Prince stayed at the hospital for three hours before going home. Persons suffering symptoms similar Prince’s are usually hospitalized for a 24-hour period. It’s unknown at this time why that wasn’t the case with the late singer.

In response to concerns and speculation, authorities have promised to be as thorough as possible to bring closure to Prince’s family, friends, and fans.

[Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images]

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