In October 2019, Assistant Coroner Bina Patel convened the formal inquest into Draper's death at Archbishop's Palace in Maidstone. Coronial proceedings in England exist specifically to answer four statutory questions: who the deceased was, and where, when, and how they came by their death.
Pathologist Dr. David Rouse performed a detailed post-mortem examination. His anatomical assessment revealed no fatal physical injuries, internal hemorrhage, or lethal defensive wounds. Toxicological testing detected therapeutic and recreational traces, including alcohol and cocaine, but not in quantities that pathologists could conclusively isolate as an acute fatal poisoning.
Because the physical examination could pinpoint no single anatomical failure, Dr. Rouse was forced to record the medical cause of death as unascertained. Medical specialists noted that sudden cardiac arrhythmia, positional asphyxiation, or hypothermia can leave few visible footprints on a body during autopsy.
Critically, Patel addressed the question of suicide. Draper's family testified that while he "wasn't himself" following a release from prison and had struggled with anxiety and personal disruption, there was zero evidence that he intended to end his life. He left no farewell message, gave no indications of suicidal intent to relatives, and possessed no self-harm injuries. Patel explicitly rejected a suicide verdict, officially entering an open conclusion.
