Petty Officer 1st Class Cherie Morton's death still mystery

A month later, Navy has no cause of death for sailor in Bahrain
Stars and Stripes
Mideast edition, Saturday, May 17, 2008



After nearly a month, the Navy has yet to release the cause of death of Petty Officer 1st Class Cherie Morton, a command career counselor and 15-year Navy veteran assigned to Commander, Navy Region Southwest Asia in Bahrain.

Morton, 40, was found dead in her off-base apartment in Galali, Bahrain on the morning of April 20. Millie Slamin, spokeswoman for Naval Support Activity Bahrain, said Friday there was "no violence detected, no weapon and no terrorism involved" in the sailor’s death.

When asked if there was a criminal investigation into the incident, she responded via e-mail, stating: "The investigation that is ongoing is the investigation into the cause of her death." In an earlier statement, she said media reports of gunshot wounds were incorrect.