Sammamish Man Accidentally Hangs Self From Roof

A Sammamish resident accidentally hanged himself from a safety rope as he tried to clean the roof of his home last week, according to the King County Medical Examiner's Office.

Eastside Fire & Rescue and Sammamish Police discovered Juan M. Duque, 46, on Tuesday, July 16, hanging from the roof of his home on the 2800 block of Sahalee Drive E. with a rope tied to his belt and wrapped around his neck.

The medical examiner said he died of asphyxia due to ligature hanging and the manner of death was accidental.

The resident's father, 72, said his son was using a leaf blower and clearing the top of the roof of debris earlier that day. The father discovered his son hanging from the roof at 4 p.m. after he returned from the grocery store and dialed 911, according to police.

The father said he tried to warn his son the work was dangerous, so the resident tried to reassure him by tying a rope to the home's chimney and his belt as a safety line.

Editor's note: Originally posted at 5:26 p.m. Wednesday, July 24.