There are no signs that a crime was committed in the death of Sheila Abdus-Salaam whose body was found in the Hudson River, police said Thursday.
Abdus-Salaam made history as the first female Muslim judge in U.S. history and the first African-American woman to serve on New York’s highest court.
“There is no apparent injuries to her body. It appears to be noncriminal at this point,” Chief of Detectives Robert Boyce said Thursday, meaning that suicide is possible cause of death. But Medical examiners are still planning to perform an autopsy.
Her body was was found Wednesday after she had been reported missing by her husband Tuesday morning.
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Many friends, family and colleagues have come forward to share the shock and memories of the trailblazing judge.
In a statement, Governor Andrew Cuomo spoke highly of the judge he nominated for the role in the Court of Appeals in 2013.
“As the first African-American woman to be appointed to the state’s Court of Appeals, she was a pioneer,” Cuomo said in a statement Wednesday. “Through her writings, her wisdom and her unshakable moral compass, she was a force for good whose legacy will be felt for years to come.
“On behalf of all New Yorkers, I extend my deepest sympathies to her family, loved ones and colleagues during this trying and difficult time,” the governor added.