By officers with the marin county Sheriffs Department, i can tell you weve been told that the autopsy on Robin Williams began at around 8 00 local time so about three hours ago and that it should be completed soon. Here at this News Conference were hoping to get answers to questions that everyone has been asking since this story stunned the world yesterday. How did Robin Williams kill himself . Cause of death listed as suicide by asphyxia and why . Were talking about a man who seemed to have everything to live for. A lovely home and family with three Adult Children and a career that was going strong well into its fourth decade. In fact, Robin Williams had been working on several films at the same time including a reprisal as president Theodore Roosevelt and another sequel to night at the museum. We know he had been battling can Substance Abuse and alcoholism. He was also one of the 16 million americans batting depression and his press representative issuing a statement yesterday saying that Robin Williams had recently been battling severe depression. We know he had done stints in and out of rehab most recently just last month in july for what we are told was a sobriety maintenance to stay on the path. Gretchen, apparently as demons were too much and Robin Williams decided he had enough. Again, the Investigation Continues and were hoping to get more details about his death coming up any minute here. All right. Clawudia claudia, stay tuned because well come back to you possibly as we await them to come pot podium now. Thanks so much. Robin williams as you know still in his 20s when he shot to stardom more than 30 years ago. It was on the show mork mindy. In one episode he cursed celebrity president. Being a star is a 24hour job. You cant leave your face at the office. Some people cant buy it. Im not buying it. Why, sir . It sounds like they have it made. Some are victims of their own fame. Very special and talented people. People like elvis presley, marilyn monroe, janice joplin, jimi hendrix, freddy prince and john lennon. Thats eerie. Pam dawber saying im completely and totally devastated. What more can be said . Robin williams was working right up to the end. The acting legend left this world with four movies still in the works. Two set to hit the theaters in time for the holidays this christmas. One comes out in november. After that theres another installment in the night at the museum out in december and one final drama, boulevard though no release has been set and comedy absolutely anything set for release in 2015. Lets go out to Claudia Cowan standing by at that press conference in marin county in northern california. Shell bring us up to speed on what we expect to hear moments from now and also i understand that you were at Robin Williams home this morning. What did you learn there . Reporter the home is now a memorial. This is the home where he lived for many years with his wife, susan. Its also the place where he decided to end his life at the age of 63. His neighbors are in a state of disbelief. So many people, of course, Robin Williams was this very funny, very well known celebrity. To the people who lived next door to him and across the street, he was their neighbor. Always friendly. Always funny. He was a fixture here in marin county. He went to high school here. He lived for many years in San Francisco but then he moved back here to marin and was often spotted riding his bicycle and eating out at local restaurants. He was out and about. He performed frequently at the local comedy theater in mill valley. He was very funny and very popular. His neighbors are just in shock that he would end his life at the age of 63. So untimely. That memorial in front of his house, i can tell you many, many flowers, cards, candles as people express sympathy. We have to wrap you up because the press conference has begun. Lets listen in. I have a prepared statement and i ask that you will hold your questions until the end of the statement. My last name is spelled boyd. On august 11th, 2014, at approximately 11 55 a. M. , Marin County Communications received a 911 telephone call reporting that a male adult had been located unconscious and not breathing inside his residence located at 95 st. Thomas way. The caller was distraught and indicated at that time that it was an apparent suicide due to hanging had taken place. The Sheriffs Office as well as representatives of the Fire Department and southern marin fire protect district were dispatched to the incident with Emergency Personnel arriving on scene at 12 00 p. M. The male subject pronounced deceased by firefighters at 12 02 p. M. Has been identified as Robin Williams, a 63yearold resident of tiburon, california. Preliminary information developed during the investigation by Coroner Division personnel has revealed mr. Williams had been seeking treatment for depression. Mr. Williams was last seen alive by his wife at approximately 10 30 p. M. On august 10th, 2014, when she retired for the evening in a room in the home. It is unknown at this time when mr. Williams retired for the evening in a bedroom in his home. At approximately 10 30 a. M. On august 11th, 2014, mr. Williams wife left the home believing mr. Williams to still be asleep. Mr. Williams personal assistance became concerned at 11 45 when he failed to respond to knocks on his bedroom door. At that time, the personal assistant was able to gain access to mr. Williams bedroom and entered the bedroom to find mr. Williams clotheded in a seated position unresponsive with a belt secured around his neck with the other end of the belt wedged between the closed closet door and the door frame. His right shoulder area was touching the door with his body perpendicular to the door and slightly suspended. Mr. Williams at that time was cool to the touch with rigor mortise present in his position appropriately for the position he was located in. The inside of mr. Williams left wrist had several acute cuts. A pocket knife was located in close proximity to mr. Williams. The pocket knife was examined and a dry red material was located on the blade of the knife which appeared consistent with dry blood. It is unknown at this time if the dry red material is in fact blood or if it is mr. Williams blood but scientific testing will be done to evaluate its investigative value. Mr. Williams was transported from the scene to the napa county Sheriffs Office morgue by the Coroner Division pending a forensic examination which was conducted this morning prior to this press conference. The forensic examination conducted by dr. Joseph cohen, the Sheriffs Office for marin county chief forensic pathologist, did not reveal any injuries indicating mr. Williams had been in a struggle or a physical altercation prior to him being located deceased. The preliminary and i again say preliminary results of the forensic examination revealed supporting physical signs that mr. Williams life ended from asphyxia due to hanging. Toxicology testing will be conducted to determine if mr. Williams had any Chemical Substances in his system at the time of his death. Toxicology results will be available will not be available for approximately two to six weeks while the testing is being performed. Please note that this is an active investigation into the cause, manner and circumstances of mr. Williams death. The work of the Coroners Office is not complete at this time. The final cause and manner of death will not be certified until a conclusion of the investigation which is several weeks away. When the investigation is concluded, and our final results are ready for dissemination, a press conference will be scheduled at that time. Additionally, i have received numerous requests for copies of 911 and dispatch recordings and investigative reports. Please note each request will be handled in accordance with Public Record act guidelines with responses provided to those who submitted them within ten days. Media inquiries should continue to be directed to me, lieutenant keith boyd via my email at kboyd marinsheriff. Org. I will respond to these time permitting. The coroner is also investigating other active cases so ill respond time permitting. That concludes my written statement at this time. Ill open up to take a few questions understanding that this is an active investigation and there is some information that will be withheld until a final press conference in several weeks. Based on fact rigor mortise set in, does that give you a time line of when this incident may have taken place . Rigor mortise is a sign that is evaluated in conjunction with lividity to coordinate a time period the death may have occurred understanding theres no perfect environment when you talk about scientific studies so well use known facts to kind of try to surmise when the death may have occurred. Any indication . Was there a note . Were not discussing the note or a note at this point as the investigation is ongoing and that information will be discussed at a future time at the concluding press conference. Was there evidence of drug or alcohol abuse . The investigation is ongoing. Toxicology testing will be conducted to determine if any Chemical Substances were in mr. Williams system at the time of his death. At that time well have a determination as to whether or not there were any signs he may have been under the influence or incapacitated by any other substance. He was seated at the time . He was slightly suspended in a seated position. A copy of this transcript of this statement will be posted on the Sheriffs Office press page at the conclusion of this press conference so that way you have a copy of it. Can you explain what rigor mortise is . Lividity is the pooling of human blood due to gravity. When you pass, your blood is no longer flowing through your remains. What happens is it stops flowing and starts to pool due to gravity and settle. There are signs and studies that indicate after a certain period of time when that settling is locked in. During early stages, lividity can be adjusted if remains are moved or not removed. Lividity in mr. Williams was consistent to the position he was found in. Do they sleep in separate bedrooms . Were not going into that part of the investigation. She retired to bed. Mr. Williams wife retired prior to mr. Williams into a room in the home. It is not known exactly at this time when mr. Williams retired for the evening but he went to a different room of the home. Was this his first attempt at suicide . [ inaudible question ] what i will say is hes been treated for depression. Outside of that at this time we have concerns about hippa protections. I had a question over here first. Were not releasing information because the investigation is ongoing. We have people we want to speak with so theres some information were going to withhold. Somebody over here . Yes, maam. What other information did you glean from your investigation and your examination . With what respect do you mean . His health before the suicide. Any findings regarding specifics to his health will be released at the future press conference. At this time, its not a factor of what were going to discuss relevant to what our findings were today. Was he wearing the same clothes he had been wearing the previous evening . What i said is he was clo clothed. I didnt say fully clothed. He had clothes on. Thats how well address that at this point until the investigation is concluded. Acute superficial and thats recent. [ inaudible question ] when you say are you talking about the knife . Superficial wounds were not the preliminary cause of death. The preliminary cause of death is asphyxia due to hanging. Do you have an estimated time the investigation is ongoing. Unfortunately we still have so surmise based on things well look into, lividity, rigor, other factors to try to come up with a generalized idea of when he passed. That will be released at the future press conference when the investigation is concluded. [ inaudible question ] i didnt hear you. In interviews with the family, did they indicate any troubling times for robin . At this time the investigation is ongoing. Im not going to get into the specifics of our interviews and to conduct. We want to be able to have untainted information from individuals we may speak with versus saying what we already may know from those interviews. Dr. Joseph cohen is the chief forensic pathologist for the marin county Sheriffs Office. How many superficial wounds were there . He was not in a chair. He was suspended as i indicated from the belt, which was wedged between the door and the door frame in a seated position slightly suspended off the ground. Has the Sheriffs Department ever been to that home before . At this time, i dont have that information. To my knowledge, we have not been to the home for previous contact. Hold on one second. Over here. Were not releasing the number of superficial wounds there were only to say they were superficial only. The autopsy was conducted in napa county primarily due to the marin county Sheriffs Office does not possess a government morgue facility. We have a private contract where facilities are up to par with a government morgue but not a government facility and due to security concerns and the opportunity to ensure that we want to preclude images and other things going public, we used a facility we knew was secure. Were the superficial wounds on his wrist . On the inside of his left wrist. Do you have what his body weight was . Were not getting into specific questions like that. Those statements can be asked at the future press conference. Was there anybody else in the home . His personal assistant found him. Im not sure his wife went to sleep at 10 30 p. M. The prior evening. Were not releasing that information at this time. The only people you believe were in the home when mr. Williams died was his wife and himself . Correct. The personal assistant arrived later . Correct. As this gentleman just asked the only people we believed to be in the home was mr. Williams and mr. Williams wife. Was there a note left at the scene . I already answered about the note. Were not discussing that at this time. His wife left. When did she return . Mr. Williams wife returned shortly after Sheriffs Office personnel arrived on scene and Fire Department personnel arrived on scene. She was aware of his passing at a very early time in this incident. Was it just coincidental she returned at that time . I wont get into those specifics at this time. Ill take about five more questions and then well move on. Number one here . Its a reasonable summation that he passed between 10 30 p. M. When he was last seen alive and 12 00 when the Fire Department arrived on scene. What well be working on is trying to narrow that down if its possible. Can you get into more detail on the room where he was found . No, sir. Not at this time. It was inside the home. What was he doing when his wife went to bed . The Investigation Continues. What exactly are you looking for . Who are you hoping to speak with . We want to in an investigation thats ongoing, although the preliminary indication is this is a suicide, we want to be thorough and make sure that we cover all our bases and dot all our is and cross our ts to make sure that were not overlooking something critical to the case. Well continue to review individuals who may have information thats pertinent to our case, medical information, medical history. Its a comprehensive standard coroner investigation. Mr. Williams case is consistent with any citizen that passes in marin county. Because of his notoriety, thats why you are here. You are ruling out foul play . Yes. At the final press conference well make that final determination but at this time our indication is that it is a suicide due to asphyxia due to hanging. As i said its preliminary. What happens next with the body . Im not going to release that information as to what mr. Williams may have been doing at 10 30 last night when she went to bed. She went to bed and then she left the home again and then returned to the home . Yes. She went to bed at approximately 10 30 p. M. She then left the home in the morning as i indicated and then she returned to the home once mr. Williams was determined to be deceased. I already stated that. Its in the written statement. Any information about funeral arrangements . Funeral arrangements are a decision of the family. We wont comment on what the familys decisions are as to who they are using, how thats going to proceed. I can tell you that remains are no longer at the napa county Sheriffs Office. And thats a family issue. Were not at liberty to release that information. Have you confiscated any computers or phones . Last question. Actually one question after this. He was in a room in the home. He was in a room in the home is all were going to say. Last question. Is it possible this was not an intentional suicide but was an accidental suicide . Was there anything else involved in this suicide by definition is an intentional act which cannot be an accidental act. Last question over here. [ inaudible question ] the best way to describe his position when we examined him the best way to describe his position is in essence to say he was in a seated position suspended slightly above the ground. What that means is his body is in a position that looks like hes sitting in a chair. Slightly off the ground suspended from the belt that was wedged between the door and the door frame that was placed around his neck. Okay. Thats all we have for today. Any further updates in the interim will be issued to marin sheriff. Org on the press page. When we have final summary discover