Nathan Haigh, 31, was found unresponsive by emergency services at a flat on Great Howarth, near Wardle, just before 7.40pm on Tuesday, August 11. Police were initially called over reports of an 'unexpected death'.
Murder probe dropped
Following Mr Haigh's death, a 37-year-old woman was arrested on suspicion of murder. Detectives said they were exploring 'several lines of enquiries in what initially appeared to be suspicious circumstances'.
In an update on August 19, a Greater Manchester Police spokesperson said that 'following extensive enquiries, detectives have ruled out murder as a line of enquiry.' The woman arrested for murder was released and remains on bail for assault.
Partner's tribute
Rebecca Hamer, 36, has now shared a tribute for Mr Haigh. She said she was living with him at the time of his death after they struck up a recent relationship.
In the tribute, she told the M.E.N.: "I want him to be remembered as he was. He absolutely adored his cat called Ronnie. He called him his son. That's the only thing that is keeping me going now."
"He believed in God and he believed that he was here to make a difference to people's lives. He called everyone 'boss'."
"He would help anyone who needed help. He would always make use of things that had been thrown away and fix them. He was really, really funny. He was like the sunshine."
Investigation continues
The investigation into Mr Haigh's death is continuing. Police are awaiting the full details of a post-mortem examination.
Detective Inspector Georgina Fearn, from the force's Rochdale CID, said previously: "Specialist officers continue to support Nathan's family, and our thoughts remain with them at this difficult time. Nathan was a young man in his prime and his sudden death came as a shock to those who knew him."
"From the outset, we remained open-minded regarding the cause of death and explored several possible lines of enquiry as part of our investigation. Our enquiries have established that murder is no longer being treated as a line of enquiry."
"We continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding Nathan's death while awaiting the full results of the post-mortem examination. We understand that incidents of this nature may cause concern within the community; however, we do not believe there is any wider risk to the public."
