More details are emerging about the death of David Carradine. The 72-year-old actor’s body was discovered in a Bangkok hotel room Thursday and there have been conflicting reports on the circumstances surrounding his death.
Suicide was first suspected as the cause of death, however, friends of Carradine adamantly refused to accept that theory. According to Thai police, Carradine’s body was found naked in a closet of his hotel suite with ropes tied around his genitals and neck.
“The two ropes were tied together,” said Police Lt. Gen. Worapong Chewprecha. “It is unclear whether he committed suicide or not or he died of suffocation or heart failure.”
It has been suggested that the actor may have died from auto-erotic asphyxiation, the practice of intentionally cutting off oxygen to the brain for sexual arousal.
Chuck Binder, Carradine’s manager isn’t buying it. “I do not want to get in the middle of this whole investigation, but this guy said to me for sure there was foul play.” The police have not alluded to anything other than an accident, at least not publicly.
According to Binder, the family was told Carradine’s hands were immobilized by the rope and he was found with his hands tied behind his back.
Family and friends claim the hotel has been slow in turning over evidence, including surveillance videos.
According to Bangkok Police Lt. Colonel Pirom Chanpirom, investigators found no sign of a forced entry into Carradine’s room. An autopsy is being conducted at a Bangkok hospital.
Carradine was in Thailand to shoot his latest film “Stretch.”
View photos of David Carradine and his wife Annie Bierman and children below.
UPDATE:
WARNING: A photo of David Carradine’s death scene presumed to be a forensics photo has been leaked on the internet. The picture is very graphic and clearly shows the actor’s hands tied above his head, which would seem to rule out suicide and indicate someone else would have to have been in the room at the time of death. You can click here to see the Thai Rath photo of David Carradine hanging.
photo: WENN