The sad news is that David Carradine was found dead in a hotel room yesterday. There is an ongoing investigation and there will be an autopsy, but there is already wild speculation around the web.
Here is a good article that both details his life and the circumstances of his death:
Actor David Carradine Murdered Or Asphyxiation?
If it’s true that he didn’t commit suicide and he wasn’t murdered, then what, an accident? That seems a bit difficult to understand. I mean, how does a curtain cord accidently get taken down and wrapped around the throat of a nude person; unless it is something called the ”choking game”.
In short, he was found in a closet, naked, with a curtain rope tied around his neck. He was in a sitting posture. There were no signs of a break-in or any struggle. There are conflicting reports of whether his hands were tied behind his back or not. There is also no word if there was a suicide note or not.
Those close to him say that although the past couple of years have been hard, and he has been in debt, that he was not suicidal. He had been addicted to alcohol, but was happily drink free for a while. He also had a career slowdown, but he was in Bangkok to shoot a new movie, so being out of work is no argument.
Some have speculated about murder, but absent signs of struggle, it is hard to see how. Remember that there’s always a “why”, the difficult (and more relevant) question in any murder investigation is “how”. Why? Some have mentioned his debts. But that’s irrelevant compared to: How? How do you gain access to a man’s room, subdue him without causing any signs of struggle, then choke him to death and leave without a trace? Consider that compared to the “easier” means of dispatching an enemy.
The article I cited above hits what may be the best hypothesis: erotic asphyxiation. There may or may not have been a partner.
However, let us remember that anything we theorize at this point is pure speculation. We only have brief descriptions of the scene plus his personal history to go on. And any information about his personal life is suspect because he tried to stay out of the tabloids, and anything you read in the media may be sensationalized. So, please wait for the police report and further information before drawing your conclusions.
And let us remember the enigmatic David Carradine for his work and his qualities as a fine human being.
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