So what was cause of death if not drowning?
Article suggests he must have been murdered, but there is another explanation. He may have died from head trauma after falling off a bridge. A drug addicted bum may have found his lifeless body, pilfered his clothing, and then shoved his body in the river.
Just because there was no water in his lungs does not mean he was murdered. It only means he died before being shoved in the river.
Another but wilder explanation is that he took off his clothes in a drunk stupor, THEN he fell and hit his head and died with his corpse weird position where he was teetering over the river. A strong gust of wind or a swinging tree limb or a couple of possums jump on his back and SPLASH in he goes.
The last is way too incredible but I am just bringing up possibilities, and it is possible.
Either he was murdered by a bum or a bum found his dead body. The mere absense of water in his lungs doesn’t clear that up one way or the other.
first reports said he’s had only one drink at the bar and was then thrown out.
maybe he was roofied.