Ricky SealsThe Tennessee Bureau of Investigation says a preliminary autopsy shows Bledsoe County Sheriff’s Office investigator Ricky Seals did not die of any physical injury.
The medical examiner will not be able to determine a more specific cause of death until final toxicology results are available, TBI spokesman Josh DeVine said in an emailed statement Wednesday.
DeVine said he doesn’t know how long that will take. Meanwhile, TBI agents continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding Seals’ death.
A passer-by spotted Seals lying in front of his Jeep Wrangler about 3:15 a.m. CDT Tuesday on Slaughterhouse Road, a dirt road that runs between U.S. Highway 127 and Old State Highway 28.
The Jeep was parked in the middle of the road about 100 yards from Highway 127. Seals lived less than a mile away, according to the TBI. Only a few homes are within sight of the remote area north of Pikeville where Seals’ body was found.
Seals had served in Bledsoe County law enforcement for more than three decades, working with the sheriff’s office and the Pikeville Police Department, according to officials.
Contact staff writer Ben Benton at bbenton@timesfreepress.com or twitter.com/BenBenton or www.facebook.com/ben.benton1 or 423-757-6569.