Woolmer's post-mortem inconclusive

Woolmer’s post-mortem inconclusive](http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/ci/content/current/story/286421.html)

Bob Woolmer’s autopsy performed on Tuesday morning, almost 48 hours after his passing away, had inconclusive results, and the pathologist has asked for further tests before the cause of death can be pinpointed.
The autopsy, performed by Dr Ere Sheshiah, started at 9:35am, and was concluded by noon. Gill Woolmer, Bob’s wife, was officially informed of the findings at 12:35pm, and the Jamaican police then met team officials to inform them of the autopsy findings.
With the pathologist unable to ascertain the cause of death, samples taken were sent for toxicology and histology tests. The results are awaited.
The Pakistan team is scheduled to leave Jamaica on Saturday and the Jamaican police are hoping that Woolmer’s body can be flown out with them. Karl Angell, director of communication for the Jamaican Constabulary, asserted that the tests were being fast-tracked so that the matter could be cleared up at the earliest.
A press conference was organised by the Pakistan team management and the Jamaican police at 3:30 on Tuesday afternoon. Reading from a prepared statement, Pervez Mir, the team’s media manager, spoke of how Murray Stevenson, the trainer, had gone to officially identify the body at the Kingston Public Hospital mortuary.
When asked what sort of timeframe we were looking at, Mark Shields, the deputy commissioner of police, said: “It depends on the results. As of now, we don’t know the cause of death.”
Shields was then asked if the inconclusive findings suggested that anything was amiss. “Not necessarily,” he said. “Any sudden death is treated as suspicious till we can say otherwise. At this moment, we’re not ruling out anything.”
According to Colin Pinnock, the deputy superintendent who is the chief investigating officer, such occurrences were not uncommon. “It happens,” he said. “The pathologist just wants to be absolutely sure. Samples have been sent to the forensic lab and the national lab.”
The team’s departure could conceivably be affected if the tests take time, and Mir and Talat Ali, the manager, will stay back if that’s the case. “The team is disturbed,” said Mir. “But we must move on.”
Shields assured everyone that the investigation would be concluded as soon as possible, but quickly added: “We won’t cut any corners either.” For the moment, Woolmer’s room at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel remains sealed, with the police not having handed it back to the hotel management.

Re: Woolmer's post-mortem inconclusive

didn't they announce yesterday that he had a heart attack

Re: Woolmer's post-mortem inconclusive

That was just one of the possibilities.

Re: Woolmer’s post-mortem inconclusive

The thing I don’t understand is the reason behind the decision of Woolmer’s wife and sons to not travel to the Caribbean. (This as per Cricinfo : http://content-usa.cricinfo.com/wc2007/content/current/story/286210.html).

Am I the only one who thinks this is very unusual. You would normally expect bereaved family members to rush to the location where their loved one has just passed away.

Re: Woolmer's post-mortem inconclusive

And yea I heard on GEO that his wife was on her way to Jamaica yesterday I believe after initial reports that only his son would go to Jamaica to receive the dead body. Wonder what the final verdict is.

Re: Woolmer’s post-mortem inconclusive

True. It seems quite odd. But reasons can be numerous to explain the lack of sentiment.

Re: Woolmer’s post-mortem inconclusive

Things taking an ugly turn, this is bad, really bad.

http://content-gulf.cricinfo.com/wc2007/content/current/story/286445.html

Full investigation launched in Jamaica
Woolmer’s death ‘suspicious’ - police
Cricinfo staff

March 21, 2007

Police are now treating Bob Woolmer’s death as suspicious, Mark Shields, the deputy commissioner of police, told a news conference in Jamaica. A full-scale investigation has been ordered.

“We have already informed the Woolmer family of these developments,” Shields said. “Having met with the pathologists, our medical personnel and investigators, there is now sufficient information to continue a full investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death of Mr Woolmer, which we are now treating as suspicious.”

**However, unconfirmed reports suggested Woolmer might have been murdered because marks were found around his neck. **

Shields said the police had been in close contact with the Pakistan team management, the Cricket World Cup committee and the ICC, but he would not speculate on the cause of Woolmer’s death. “It would be inappropriate for me to make any comment at this stage as we have still not got the final official report from the pathologists,” he said.

Talat Ali, the Pakistan team manager, told Geo TV they had not been given full details by the police. “They have not made any reference to poisoning or anything yet, as some reports are suggesting,” Ali said. “There is no information at all that this poison could be involved. Investigations will carry on so we cannot come to any conclusions right now.”

Ali denied Pakistan were not allowed to travel. “There are no police restrictions on the team,” he said. “As planned for now, we are flying back on Saturday.”

Woolmer, 58, was found unconscious in his hotel room on Sunday and pronounced dead shortly after at a Jamaica hospital. Woolmer’s family said after speaking to doctors they expected his death came from a stress-related heart attack.

His wife Gill told CNN-IBN, an Indian news channel, he did not complain of any chest pain after the match. An autopsy completed on Tuesday was inconclusive, but investigators were waiting for the results of toxicology tests to see if they helped determine the cause.
© Cricinfo

Re: Woolmer's post-mortem inconclusive

There are stories going around that he was going to expose some players. That unusually large bets had been placed on Ireland winning. That Bob loved the game of Cricket.

Whatever the truth is....I for one do not believe in suspicions until they are proven but the players seem to play for cash rather than for country. This culture needs to change.

Re: Woolmer's post-mortem inconclusive

it surely can not be a heart attack. with blood spots on his face and nose, and the vomit in the washroom and in his room indicated something else.