PORT ANGELES — Autopsies were performed Saturday to determine causes of death for a Joyce couple who died at their residence March 23.
Charles Lorme, 60, died while apparently trying to save his wife, Geraldine Lorme, 59, by performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation, or CPR.
Clallam County sheriff’s deputies and Fire District No. 4 emergency medical technicians found him slumped over his wife after he had phoned 9-1-1 to say his wife was having a heart attack.
Neither had a pulse when help arrived about eight minutes later.
Results of the autopsies are expected in four to eight weeks, said Mark Nichols, Clallam County’s chief deputy prosecutor and deputy coroner.
“We don’t have any reason to suspect foul play,” Nichols said.
The Clallam County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office hires one or more traveling physicians to perform the autopsies, Nichols explained.
Autopsy results are made available to the family of the deceased or personal representatives of the estate.
State law restricts the release of autopsy reports to the public, Nichols said.
Although the cause of the Lormes’ deaths is unknown, authorities said it’s possible both suffered heart attacks.
Fire District Chief Alex Baker said emergency medical technicians spent more than 30 minutes trying to revive the couple, who lived on state Highway 112 west of Port Angeles.
________
Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-417-3537 or at rob.ollikainen@peninsuladailynews.com.
