Robin Williams Hanged Self With Belt, Sheriff's Office Says

A Marin County coroner’s official says actor Robin Williams died by apparent hanging, and he was found in a seated position with a belt securely around his neck.

He also had cuts on his left wrist, and a pocketknife was found nearby with a red “material” that could be blood, according to Marin County Sheriff’s Lt. Keith Boyd.

“The preliminary results of the forensic examination revealed supporting physical signs that Mr. Williams life ended from asphyxia due to hanging,” Boyd, who serves as Marin County’s Assistant Chief Deputy Coroner, said while reading a prepared statement at the conference.

At that conference, Boyd described what the sheriff’s office believes happened in Williams’ final hours:

• Williams’ wife, Susan, last saw her husband around 10:30 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 10 when she went to bed.

• “It is unknown at this time when Mr. Williams’ retired for the evening in a bedroom in his home,” according to Boyd.

• At 10:30 a.m. Monday, his wife left the house, thinking Williams was asleep.

• At 11:45 a.m., Williams assistant was worried since he hadn’t heard from the actor, and he wasn’t answering the knocks on his bedroom door.

“At that time the personal assistant was able to gain access to Mr. Williams’ bedroom and entered the bedroom to find Mr. Williams clothed in a seated position, unresponsive, and with a belt secured around his neck with the other end of the belt wedged between the closed closet door and door frame,” Boyd said. “His right shoulder area was touching the door with his body was perpendicular to the door and slightly suspended.”

According to Boyd, rigor mortis had already set in by that time, and the body was cool to the touch.

“The inside of Mr. Williams’ left wrist had several acute superficial transverse cuts,” he said. “A pocket knife with a closed blade was located in close proximity to Mr. Williams. The pocket knife was examined and dry red material was located on the blade which appeared consistent to dried blood.”

That red material is being tested, he said.

Coroner’s officials are also performing a toxicology screen, but that will take anywhere from two to six weeks to get back.

The final cause of death won’t be certified until all tests are returned, according to Boyd.

“Preliminary information developed during the investigation by Coroner Division personnel has revealed Mr. Williams had been seeking treatment for depression,” Boyd said.

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