RENTON, Wash — Editor's note: The above video on a father and two daughters who were found dead in a Renton apartment originally aired Dec. 13, 2021.
A father and his two daughters who were found dead in a Renton apartment last year died of starvation, the medical examiner found.
The King County Medical Examiner did not find an obvious cause of death when the bodies were found in December 2021 and held off on the manner and cause of death until a toxicological analysis was complete. The examiner released their findings Thursday.
The father, identified as Manuel Gil, and his 16- and 17-year-old daughters were emaciated, and there wasn’t any food in the home, according to the medical examiner. Investigators found written materials about fasting.
The cause of death was ruled as protein and calorie deprivation – more commonly known as starving – since there weren’t any other pathological or toxicological causes found.
Gil’s death was ruled a suicide due to the timing of the deaths. The manner of death for the girls was undetermined because there isn’t a way to determine their state of mind and intent, according to the medical examiner.
Gil and the two teens were found dead in an apartment in the 300 block of Factory Avenue North on Dec. 11, 2021.
There were no signs of foul play or visible trauma to the bodies. At the time, Renton police said the apartment was in “really good condition” and “unusually tidy.”
Renton Detective Robert Onishi said, "We don't see situations like this, generally.”
If anyone has facts about this incident that haven’t been provided to the police, they should contact Onishi at ronishi@rentonwa.gov and reference case 21-12197.