One thing the family believes: that their loved ones were not murdered.
“We are mystified like everyone else. I don’t want to say a great deal as there is a lot going on,” John’s father Peter told theDaily Mail. “We are just waiting for the authorities to do all the tests. We are in touch with them and are awaiting the final analysis.”
“We don’t believe they were murdered,” Peter said. “We just want people to get on with the task at hand.”
A Mariposa County Sheriff’s office spokesperson tells PEOPLE that while investigators “haven’t ruled out anything,” they are not focusing on a potential homicide.
“Murder is not high on our list,” the spokesperson said.
Ellen Chung and John Gerrish.Ellen chung/ instagram
Aninitial autopsyyielded little information about how the family died, leaving authorities and loved ones to wait for the results of a pending toxicology report for more clues. A necrology report is also being conducted on the dog. Both reports could take up to several weeks.
John Gerrish, Ellen Chung and daughter Muji.Rosanna Heaslett
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“Current scene informationdoes not indicate a clear picture of what occurredor a clear cause of death, the scene is currently being handled as a hazmat and coroner investigation,” the Mariposa County Sheriff’s office said in its first and only press release on the situation so far.
John was reportedly found in a seated position with Miju and Oski near him, while Chung was found a ways away from them up a hill, according toThe Washington Post.
John Gerrish, Ellen Chung.Courtesy Steven Jeffe
“But I think the community is more like, ‘What the heck happened?’ It’s just so crazy,” he said.
Mariposa County Sheriff’s spokesperson Kristie Mitchell told Fox News over the weekend that “investigators have considered whether toxic gasses,toxic algaeand carbon monoxide from abandoned mines near [the] area may have contributed to the deaths.”
She also noted that there were no physical wounds, signs of trauma or suicide notes to indicate their deaths were intentional.
“We’re not focusing on one specific cause at this point. There’s just still so many that we can’t rule out,” Mitchell said. “I think it’s going to be a very long and in depth, thorough investigation because it isn’t as clear cut as what some cases are.”
source: people.com
