Virginia Giuffre, who had accused Prince Andrew of sexual abuse, showed “no signs” she intended to take her own life, her lawyer has said.
Giuffre, 41, was found unresponsive late Friday night, April 25, at her remote farmhouse in Neergabby, about an hour north of Perth, Australia.
A team of major crime officers spent up to twelve hours collecting evidence at the scene. Her lawyer, Karrie Louden, who arrived at the property shortly after the discovery, expressed doubts about claims that Giuffre had taken her own life.
“We’ve got big question marks over it,” Louden said. “There’s suicide and then there’s misadventure. I wasn’t in the room. I didn’t see her. The family said what the family has said, but I’m not going to speculate whether it was suicide or accidental.”
It is understood that Giuffre may have overdosed on pills, but it remains unclear if it was intentional. Louden explained that Giuffre had been hospitalized recently and was on medication, adding, “Has she just taken too many painkillers? Was she intentionally doing it? I just, you know… I don’t even know what the cause of death was.”
Despite recent health challenges, Louden said Giuffre had been making plans for the future, including renovating her home. “She was in a lot of pain but looking forward to things,” Louden said. “I was meant to be meeting with her today to sort out some legal affairs. Last week, things were positive.”
Louden emphasized that there had been no indication that Giuffre was considering suicide. “If any of us had thought she was going to commit suicide, of course we would have taken more steps, put her into a clinic, or gotten her some more help,” she said. “When I got the phone call, I thought it was a joke. There were no signs that this was something she was contemplating.”
Police have provided little information, and it could take up to two years for a coroner’s report to be filed. A spokeswoman for the Perth Coroner’s Court confirmed that Giuffre’s death had been reported and would be investigated, but the findings would not be made public.
Louden stated there were “no suspicious circumstances, as far as we are aware,” but acknowledged that “given the recent activities, it’s very likely that we will never know exactly what happened.” She added that toxicology tests are expected in the coming days, but whether the cause of death will be ruled suicide, misadventure, or inconclusive remains uncertain.
Giuffre’s body has been removed from the farmhouse, and police officers from the major crimes unit thoroughly examined the property after the alarm was raised
