Autopsy doesn't determine cause of student's death

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- An autopsy arranged by the family has failed to determine how a 21-year-old Southwest Missouri State University student died.

Nathan Keence was found Tuesday night at New Hall dormitory on the Springfield campus.

"All we know is that he got off work about 8:30 p.m. He stopped by the bank and got some money out of his account, and then he went to his room," his mother, Dorothy Keence of Union, said Thursday.

Police investigators found nothing to indicate foul play, but they did ask for an autopsy because of his age.

The Greene County Medical Examiner's office said it found nothing to warrant an autopsy, and ruled Keence died of natural causes.

Dorothy Keence said she decided to pay the estimated $1,500 for an autopsy because she needed to know why her son died.

Private autopsies are not public record. Dorothy Keence confirmed Thursday that the cause of death remained undetermined. The family must now await toxicology tests, which could take three weeks.

Keence was a junior, majoring in computer sciences. He also worked part-time loading trucks at United Parcel Service in Springfield.

Family and friends said Keence sometimes suffered back pain after work, but he shared no other medical complaints. He rarely drank alcohol and had no history of drug use, they said. He also had no pre-existing medical conditions.

Meanwhile, a memorial was planned for Friday at Oltmann Funeral Home in Union. Funeral Mass was planned for 10:30 a.m. Saturday at Immaculate Conception Church in Union.