David Carradine was alone the night he died, Thai police say

Jun 20, 2009, 12:31 GMT

02/22/2009 - David Carradine and wife Annie - The Kill Bill star, 72, was found dead in the closet of his Bangkok hotel suite in early June and initial reports indicated that he may have died as the result of a sexual practice known as autoerotic asphyxiation. © Albert L. Ortega / PR Photos

Bangkok - US actor David Carradine was alone the night he died, Thai police said Saturday, seeking to lay to rest rumors about possible foul play in his death.

The Kill Bill star, 72, was found dead in the closet of his Bangkok hotel suite in early June and initial reports indicated that he may have died as the result of a sexual practice known as autoerotic asphyxiation.

Rumors had also been rampant that someone was in the room with him, but Thai Police Col Kachornsak Parnsakorn tried to put those rumors to rest late Saturday.

The deputy commander of metropolitan police division 5 told the Bangkok Post newspaper that all evidence, including witness accounts and a close circuit camera in front of Carradine's room, showed that he went into his room alone.

At first Thai police said he had committed suicide, but after an autopsy by forensic experts at Chulalongkorn Hospital concluded Carradine had died of suffocation.

Well-known Thai forensics expert Porntip Rojanasunan said the actor might have died from 'autoerotic asphyxiation.' Police said the actor was found hanging in a closet with a rope around his neck and genitals and his hands bound.

Several days after his death, Carradine's body was flown to the US where an autopsy conducted by forensic pathologist Dr Michael Biden determined that Carradine did not commit suicide.

But in a brief statement at the time, he said that more information was needed from Thai authorities before reaching a final determination of how Carradine died.

Carradine recently starred in Quentin Tarantino's two-part movie Kill Bill. His first major role was as the fugitive half-Chinese Shaolin monk Kwai Chang Caine in the TV drama series Kung Fu.

He was in Bangkok shooting a film called Stretch.