SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - Police do not suspect foul play after a Yellowknife man was found dead in his motel room last Friday afternoon.

The RCMP were notified after emergency medical services attendants were called to the Northern Lites Motel at around noon and found a 56-year-old man lying unresponsive in the bathroom of unit 12 where he was declared dead.

The RCMP identified the man as Johnny Abel in a press release issued Monday.

The press release states foul play is not suspected, but police have not yet determined the cause of death.

Garth Eggenberger, chief coroner for the NWT, said the man's body has been sent to a pathologist in Edmonton.

"We're just sending him for autopsy and we have to wait for further results," said Eggenberger on Monday.

Lorne Napier, an employee at the motel, said the room had been rented out to a woman, whom he believed was the man's girlfriend, but he declined to comment further on the death.