The San Francisco medical examiner and police department have concluded that the death of Suchir Balaji, a former OpenAI researcher of Indian origin whose body was discovered in his apartment on November 26, was a result of suicide. However, Balaji's parents have expressed disagreement with this determination.

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The conclusion was made clear in a letter by the San Francisco Police Department and the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner to the attorneys representing Balaji’s parents, San Francisco Examiner reported.

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"No evidence of foul play”

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The letter provides a comprehensive overview of the joint investigation by the two departments into Balaji's death, offering new insights into the evidence that led investigators to conclude that his death was a suicide, as well as his mental state at the time.

According to San Francisco Police Department Officer Robert Rueca, the autopsy report supports the earlier police investigation, which found "no evidence of foul play.”

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A letter from the San Francisco Police Department and the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner suggested that former OpenAI researcher Suchir Balaji had alcohol and amphetamine in his system at the time of his death. 

The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (OCME) found no evidence to suggest anything other than a suicide by self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. 

“This doesn't seem like suicide”: Elon Musk

Balaji’s parents have repeatedly called for a wider investigation, which Elon Musk and Tucker Carlson have echoed.

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Poornima Rao, the mother of the late OpenAI researcher, has expressed concerns and disagreement with the San Francisco Police Department's conclusion that her son's death was a suicide. Instead, she alleged that her son was murdered and pointed to evidence of a ransacked apartment, calling for a more thorough investigation by the FBI.

In response to Poornima Rao's post on X, Elon Musk stated on December 29, "This doesn't seem like a suicide."

(With inputs from agencies)