Authorities are investigating the death of a former mayor of Woonsocket, Rhode Island, after two bodies were found there.
The remains of an elderly woman and an elderly man were found Monday afternoon inside the Woonsocket residence, according to a report from local station WPRI.
Thomas Oates, chief of police in Woonsocket, confirmed to reporters that the home belonged to former mayor Susan Menard. Her status as one of the deceased was not clear as of Tuesday afternoon.
“There is no suspicion of foul play,” Oates said. “We are still waiting for the medical examiner’s office to confirm the cause of death.”
According to WPRI, a concerned neighbor called the police after noticing a foul smell and realizing he hadn’t seen anyone around the home for a couple of weeks.
A police officer found the bodies in separate rooms after entering the home through the rear window, Oates told The Boston Globe.
The city website claims Menard was Woonsocket’s first female mayor and its longest-serving as well. She held office from 1995 until 2009.
Robert Miller, Menard’s brother, passed away on Saturday at the age of 81, according to an online obituary. The funeral was scheduled for this Thursday.