It was a classic mystery story. McNulty's body was found floating in the river. There was no water in his lungs. A huge anchor was tied to his ankles, a rope twisted around his neck, a bullet in his skull, and poison in his system.
The coroner's autopsy also showed that he had suffered from a weak heart these many years.
Unable to describe the precise cause of death, the official determination ran thus:
"Natural causes under very suspicious circumstances."