Santa Barbara, London - Police in Santa Barbara, California, said yesterday they were investigating why no death certificate was filed for Paul McCartney's wife, Linda, who died last Friday, and was cremated. The Santa Barbara Sheriff's spokesman, Sgt James Petersen, told Reuters that police "have found no confirmation of her death in area mortuaries or hospitals". He added that such documentation was required for cremation.
In London meanwhile the Mirror newspaper has reported that Lady McCartney died at a ranch hideaway in Arizona.
The news came after media in California had speculated that her death may have been "assisted" because of the absence of a death certificate in the west coast state where she had been holidaying.
The speculation first surfaced in the Santa Barbara News Press, which reported that the coroner's office in the Californian city had raised questions about the lack of a death certificate.
Dismissing the reports as "nonsense" a statement by Mr Geoff Baker, Sir Paul's spokesman, said: "When Linda died last Friday with her family around her it was in a place that was private to her and her family. Everyone has always assumed that it was Santa Barbara, California.
"So, in an effort to allow the family time to get back to England in peace and in private it was stated that she had died in Santa Barbara. The family hopes that they can maintain this one private place that they have in the world."
He said reports that her death had been "assisted" were unfounded, and added: "Linda's doctor was Larry Norton of the Sloane Kettering Memorial Hospital in New York. If need be, Dr Norton will confirm that Linda died naturally.
"The family hopes that the press does not need to take it that far and further hopes that the press will respect the fact of this private place."