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AMERICAN FORK — The investigation into the deaths of an elderly American Fork couple has been closed with their causes and manners of death left as "undermined."
The badly decomposing bodies of Sally Francom and Duane Francom, both 84, were found in their home, 179 N. Center, on Jan. 3.
On Wednesday, American Fork police announced that the Utah State Medical Examiner's Office had released its decision on their deaths, and listed their causes as "'undetermined' due to the degree of decomposition. No trauma was found on either body, and no significant amount of carbon monoxide was detected, ruling out carbon monoxide poisoning. Both Duane and Sally were found to have heart disease, and toxicology showed nothing suspicious in their blood. The American Fork police will be closing the case."
On Dec. 20, American Fork police were asked to conduct a welfare check on the Francoms at their home after it was reported that the couple had not been seen since November.
No one answered the door at that time. Officers returned to the home on Jan. 3, and found it was in the same condition as when they were there before.
But officers also received additional information that a family member had concerns for the safety of Sally Francom because Duane Francom "was abusive," according to a search warrant affidavit.
Based on the totality of the circumstances, police made the decision to enter the locked home and kicked open a garage door.
"When the door was opened, the smell of decomposing bodies could be smelled by all the officers. Officers entered the residence and observed two deceased individuals," the warrant states.
Both the bodies of Sally and Duane Francom were in intermediate to advanced stages of decomposition. Police said Sally Francom's body was found in the kitchen-dining room area, which was in "disarray," and the body of Duane Francom was found in the living room area.
The warrant said: "There have been multiple reports made to the American Fork Police Department from family of the deceased that the male was emotionally and physically abusive to the female. Investigators believe that it is reasonable that the deceased male could have strangled the female and then died of a heart attack due to the physical stress of strangling someone."
Police had acknowledged in their original statement that "suspicious factors" were found in the home, including possible signs of a struggle. They also noted that "investigators have found no evidence and have no reason to believe the deaths involved the actions of any other party. There were also no signs of forced entry to the home. It is believed that all circumstances surrounding the death of Sally and Duane Francom were isolated to the inside of the home at the time of their respective deaths."
