E-mail updates
Follow on Twitter
Subscribe to RSSUganda police are keen to interrogate a South African woman who was found unconscious in a hotel room along with the body of American television producer Jeff Rice, NBC News reported.
Kathryn Fuller, a production assistant, was found last week in the same room with Rice, a freelance producer for the American reality TV show “Amazing Race.” She was taken to The Surgery, a hospital in Kampala.
"We sent a team of detectives there today (Friday) but found that she was still too weak and so could not interrogate her. The team may return tomorrow," Deputy Kampala police spokesperson Ibin Ssenkumbi said.
Police on Wednesday said forensic tests indicated that Rice died of a cocaine overdose and that Fuller had also taken the drug.
Police were still grappling with a request by Fuller's relatives to have her transferred to South Africa for more advance medical treatment, according to NBC News. The relatives pledged to bring her back to Uganda once she improves.
"We have not yet recorded a statement from her and are waiting for her to improve. Additionally, her travel documents are still missing and that complicates matters," Ssenkumbi said.
Kathryn's father, Stewart Fuller, flew to Uganda and has asked police to allow him transfer her to South Africa. But police said they were finding the request a difficult one, given the circumstances.
Senior Uganda police officers, including the national police chief, Lt. Gen Kale Kayihura, on Thursday checked on Fuller at the medical facility.
A decision on her transfer would depend on doctors' assessment of her condition, police said.
'Amazing Race' producer Jeff Rice found dead in Uganda
Fuller and Rice, police said, checked into the Kampala Serena Hotel last Friday, having moved from the Lake Victoria Serena Resort. On Saturday morning, Rice was found dead on a sofa on the balcony of their hotel room while Fuller was unconscious on the floor.
The two had flown into the country on Feb. 15 to work on a documentary, according to ABC News.
Ugandan police say it appears the two voluntarily ingested the drug.
"There was no struggle. These were two people in their room, and there was not a single sign of a struggle. Not even a single bruise on Rice's body," police spokesman Asuman Mugenyi told ABC.
More from msnbc.com and NBC News:
- Rebels plead for weapons to make vision of post-Assad Syria happen
- Dutch riled at Santorum's euthanasia comments
- 12 die as Afghan Quran-burning protests resume despite Obama's apology
- Australia's 'dingo baby' mystery finally solved?
- Beijing's pollution could cut 5 years off lifespan, expert says
Leave a Comment:
A wealthy CBS coke head junky producer died of cocaine overdose...and his coke whore girlfriend survived....seems like they should make a reality show about this....
It seems like they want us to feel sympathy for anyone famous or partially famous who dies of some sort of drug overdoes...
No, it's that you could use it as a teachable moment for your peers or kids.
Can you say "DOPER"? What a maroon. This guy had it going on, and now , well, he's dead. Just like that, its over! I hope this isn't too embarrassing for anyone back home? He was caught with a drugged woman in his hotel room. Who the hell was she? I've never heard that name before? Assistant? Just what kind of assistant was she? And why is her family in such a hurry to get her out of the country? I'm left with many questions, AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The "detectives" found her still too weak to "interrogate". Have you seen how Ugandan "detectives" interrogate people? What happened to the original theory that these people were poisoned by drug dealers who attempted to shake them down at their hotel?
it's uganda....the drug dealers ARE the detectives....and are still shaking them down...
Got some high, but too high; got some affair, but too late; got two bodies, both only career-related; but died in one room.
Having cocaine in your system doesn't rule out the possibility of having involuntarily ingested other chemicals also.
Jeff was a personal friend of mine. He was not a drug user 'coke head junkie user.' He was a devoted father of two young children and an amazing spirit. That's what makes this thing so incredible sad and the circumstances surrounding his death so strange. Please remember when you say nasty things about people you know nothing of, you are speaking about a real person and real events. And btw, jeff, like most of us Tv producers, would have laughed that you called him wealthy.
Sorry about your friend Michael, you have my sympathies and please send condolences to his family.
Knowing only what I have read, this story doesn't pass my smell test. And let's not forget, this is Uganda. As for "he was not a drug user" and "he was a devoted father of two young children," we are talking about (allegedly) drugs and sex here, so all bets are off. He wouldn't be the first "family man" to go off the rails. But back to the point: there seem to be a lot more to this story than what is being reported.
like the saying goes...you're ok until you screw up....
Why does it take a team of defectives - 'er - detectives to figure that one out?
I'm going with the first reports about the poison theory. This is Uganda after all. This needs a lot more investigating before the drug aspect is final.
Just saying!!!