A post-mortem conducted on the body of 82-year-old Rudolf Sturm, a former Austrian consul to this country, yesterday revealed he died from gunshot injuries to the abdomen.

Sturm, who had cancer, is believed to have committed suicide while at his 13 Woodlands Road, North Valsayn, home early on Tuesday by shooting himself with his licensed 9mm pistol.

He was discovered with gunshot injuries to the body in his bed around 7.30 a.m. on Tuesday by his wife, Urmilla Maharaj, 40, who notified the police.

Police said Sturm, a German national, was ailing for some time with cancer and may have shot himself with his gun.

His hands were swabbed by crime scene investigators to determine if gunshot residue was present after the incident. Residue was however found on the bed where Sturm was found dead.

What has remained puzzling to police is how he was able to shoot himself twice with his pistol, which was found under his body.

Police have however theorised that the incident may have been suicide and believe after Sturm fired the first shot, a second shot rang out after his body jerked forward.

Police said Maharaj reported to them that when she awoke shortly after 6 a.m., she called out to Sturm but got no reply. She left home to purchase doubles and upon returning, she decided to make a check on Sturm and found him dead.

According to police, a 30-year-old employee of Sturm was held on Monday after Maharaj reported that the employee had stolen a quantity of jewelry, valued at $900,000, from the residence over a period of time.

The woman, who hailed from Las Lomas, was released from custody on Tuesday evening.

Officers said they found what appeared to be a suicide note in Sturm's room near his body, including several notes in which Sturm had distributed most of his assets to family members and friends.

He left approximately $100,000 for his wife to cover his funeral costs, police said.

Officers of the Region II Homicide Bureau of Investigations and the St Joseph CID are probing the incident.