David Carradine Died from Asphyxiation

Actor David Carradine, who was found naked and hanging from a closet in his Bangkok hotel room last month, died of "accidental" asphyxiation, a medical examiner hired by his family said.

Forensic pathologist Dr. Michael Baden said Carradine, 72, died from an inability to breath; the way his body was bound helped rule out suicide.

Authorities in Thailand conducted the first investigation of the "Kung Fu" actor's death. They said on June 8 it would take a month to know how he died but that the likely cause of death was asphyxiation.

Baden, a New York-based forensic pathologist and host of HBO's "Autopsy" series was hired by Carradine's family to conduct a follow-up death investigation.

Baden told Reuters: "He didn't die of natural causes, and he didn't die of suicidal causes from the nature of the ligatures around the body, so that leaves some kind of accidental death."

Media reports have suggested that Carradine could have died from accidental autoerotic asphyxiation. Baden did not rule that out as a possibility, but did not say it was the cause either.

Baden said he is waiting on more information from Thai police to rule out the possibility that Carradine was killed by someone.

Carradine's family said that the actor may have been involved in the martial arts underground. Family attorney Mark Geragos said investigators should look into the secret kung fu sects to find clues into the actor's death.