Three large canisters of nitrous oxide were found next to the body of former My Chemical Romance drummer Bob Bryar in November, and he had been gnawed on by his dogs, a Tennessee coroner said.
The canisters were outfitted with tubing that made them ready for use, but the medical examiner did not say whether they had been used or played a role in his death. Bryar’s body was not only badly decomposed but also showed signs of “animal scavenging activity,” according to a coroner’s report obtained by TMZ. Antidepressants were also on hand, TMZ reported.
Two dogs were removed from Bryar’s house after the 44-year-old rocker-turned-realtor’s body was discovered in his Tennessee home the day before Thanksgiving.
Even given all that, Bryar’s cause of death remained uncertain, the medical examiner said. Though he mentioned the possibility of an intentional or accidental overdose, the decomposition made a determination impossible, TMZ said, citing the report.
Bryar had last been seen alive on Nov. 4, and his body was discovered on Nov. 26. Authorities did not suspect foul play at the time, since his valuables, music equipment and other possessions, including some weapons, were untouched, according to Deadline and Variety.
The musician and sound engineer drummed with My Chemical Romance from 2004 to 2010, his artistry evident on 2006’s “The Black Parade and “Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys,” released in 2010.
The band dissolved in 2013, but not before dropping a compilation album, “Conventional Weapons,” of 10 previously unreleased songs that Bryar also played in as the band’s longest-tenured drummer. After leaving My Chemical Romance, Bryar worked on tour behind the scenes with several other bands before retiring for good in 2021.