Texas teen Grant Thompson's death has been ruled a suicide by snakebite

A Texas teen's death has been ruled a suicide by snakebite, according to autopsy results released this week.

Grant Thompson, 18, was found unresponsive on July 14, inside a parked car at an Austin Lowe's home improvement store. He was later pronounced dead at the hospital.

Inside the car authorities found an empty snake cage - and later discovered the missing monocled cobra dead in the same parking lot.

In an autopsy report released Thursday, the Travis County Medical Examiner's Office says Thompson committed suicide by letting the cobra bite him 'several' times. 

The reason for the ruling is based on the fact that Thompson showed no sign that he ever tried to pull the snake away from him when it punctured his skin. 

 

Suicide by snakebite: Grant Thompson's (pictured) death has been ruled a suicide by snakebite. The Texas 18-year-old was found unresponsive in a car parked in a Lowe's parking lot on July 14  

 

Deadly: An empty snake cage was found in Thompson's car. This missing monocled cobra was later found dead in the same parking lot

The fact that Thompson is right-handed played a part, since the first bite wound was higher on his left shoulder, which is consistent with someone of the dominant right hand. 

Thompson also had a 'history of suicidal ideation,' according to the report. 

In addition to the fatal snake venom, marijuana and amphetamines were also found n Thompson's system at the time of his death. 

Cobra venom causes respiratory failure and eventually leads to death in a process that takes as little as 30 minutes.