Cardinal Anthony Bevilacqua died of natural causes, Montgomery County coroner Walter Hofman said at a news conference Thursday about the inquiry into his death. Prosecutors asked the coroner to investigate due to the timing of the death, a day after a judge ruled Bevilacqua competent to testify at the trial of his longtime aide.

The former leader of the Philadelphia Archdiocese died Jan. 31 at a suburban seminary.

Read more on the Bevilacqua case at Philadelphia's NBC10.com

Officials say the 88-year-old Bevilacqua, who served as archbishop from 1988 to 2003, was suffering from dementia and prostate cancer. Hofman confirmed these details Thursday.

There were no signs of trauma to Bevilacqua's body, Hofman said.

A judge ruled Bevilacqua competent to testify at the child endangerment trial of Monsignor William Lynn, who is accused of transferring priests suspected of molesting children to unwitting parishes.

This article includes reporting by Philadelphia's NBC10.com and The Associated Press.

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