AFP : Spy's death still a mystery after tests draw blank

Spy's death still a mystery after tests draw blank

October 28, 2010

LONDON — Tests on the body of a spy found dead in the bathtub of his London flat in August have discovered no evidence of any drugs, alcohol or poison that might have killed him, police said Thursday.

A "comprehensive" series of tests have failed to explain the death of Gareth Williams, 30, and it remains a mystery, police said in a statement -- although they insisted they were still treating his case as suspicious.

"The Metropolitan Police Service can confirm that results from comprehensive further toxicology tests carried out in relation to the death of Gareth Williams have come back negative, showing no trace of any drugs, alcohol, poisons or any other substances that would indicate cause of death," they said.

"There are no plans to carry out any further tests of this type, but enquiries continue to try and establish a formal cause of death.

"Mr Williams' death remains suspicious and unexplained and enquiries into the circumstances continue."

Williams is thought to have been dead for two weeks when his naked, decomposing remains were found on August 23 at his home near the headquarters of secret intelligence service MI6, where he worked.

An inquest heard last month that he had been padlocked inside a bag but had not been stabbed and there were no obvious signs of strangulation.

He died just days before completing a one-year secondment to MI6 from GCHQ, the electronic "listening post" which monitors communications for intelligence purposes, located in Cheltenham.

Copyright © 2010 AFP. All rights reserved.