Police say two found dead in Mitchell hotel committed suicide

MITCHELL, S.D. (AP) – Police in Mitchell say two people found dead in a hotel took their own lives.

Authorities say the man and woman were found hanging in a room at the Thunderbird Lodge Monday. Autopsies determined both died of asphyxiation.

Police say the two checked into the hotel Saturday night and arrived in a U-Haul van from another state. Officials were having difficulty identifying the two because they took steps to avoid identification. They now believe they are from Wisconsin and are trying to locate family members.

The South Dakota Department of Criminal Investigation and South Dakota Highway Patrol assisted in the investigation.

AP-WF-05-23-19 1126GMT