MONTREAL — A Quebec coroner has concluded that singer-songwriter Karim Ouellet died last November of complications related to diabetes after the artist consumed methamphetamines.
Coroner Sophie Régnière's report says the death of the Juno Award-winning artist likely occurred around Nov. 15, 2021.
Ouellet's body was only found on Jan. 17, 2022, in a music studio in Quebec City's La Cité-Limoilou borough, after the studio's owner called 911 following complaints of a foul smell.
The coroner says police and paramedics noted Ouellet's body had started to mummify and there were no signs of forced entry or violence.
The coroner says the cause of death was diabetic ketoacidosis, a complication that occurs in people whose diabetes is poorly controlled. The report says Ouellet, 37, had Type 1 diabetes.
Born in Dakar, Senegal, Ouellet made his debut in the music industry with his album "Plume,'' released in 2011. He went on to produce two other successful albums that were a mix of hip-hop, funk and folk-pop.
He won several awards in his career, including the 2014 Juno for Francophone Album of the Year, for his second album, "Fox.''
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 22, 2022.
The Canadian Press
