AMERICAN FORK, Utah — Months after an elderly American Fork couple were found dead inside their home after not being seen for weeks, a medical examiner has ruled the cause of their deaths to be "undetermined."
The decomposed bodies of Sally and Duane Francom were found Jan. 3 in the home at 179 North Center Street. At the time, the couple, both 84 years old, hadn't been seen since November.
On Wednesday, the Utah State Medical Examiner reported that because of the degree of decomposition of the bodies, their deaths would be ruled "undetermined." The report added that no trauma was found on either body and no "significant amount of carbon monoxide was detected," ruling out carbon monoxide poisoning.
The medical examiner's office said both Francom's suffered from heart disease, but a toxicology report found nothing suspicious in their blood.
According to a release, the American Fork Police Department is closing its investigation into the case.
Search warrant affidavits filed in February said that a family member was concerned about the Francom's due to Duane being considered "abusive." The affidavit also revealed that Sally's body was discovered inside the kitchen of the home, while Duane's body was in theliving room.
The warrant said there was evidence that Sally had been "killed in a physical altercation due to the state of the room and the positioning of her body." Investigators added that it was "reasonable" that Duane may have strangled Sally and then died of a heart attack "due to the physical stress of strangling someone."
