CHANHASSEN, United States (AFP) – Stunned fans of Prince looked Friday to an autopsy to help lift the mystery around the sudden loss of one of the music world’s most respected and beloved figures.

A day after the enigmatic pop superstar died at age 57, a steady stream of people filed past his Paisley Park studio complex on the outskirts of Minneapolis to pay their respects and place flowers and handwritten messages.

Many wore purple, his signature color. Many said how proud they were of the city’s native son, and how saddened they were by the fact that he died alone — as well as by unconfirmed reports his death could be linked to an overdose of painkillers.

“It breaks my heart,” said Cindy Legg, a 41-year-old nurse. “Hopefully it was just not any of that and it was just God needed him in heaven.”

Prince was found dead in an elevator at Paisley Park, a week after being taken to a hospital with a flu-like illness that he later downplayed.

The local sheriff was to brief the media at 3:00 pm on the investigation into his death, which remains unexplained.

The singer’s autopsy began early Friday, according to the local medical examiner’s office, which cautioned that preliminary results will take days and the results of a full toxicology scan could be weeks.

“As part of a complete exam, relevant information regarding Mr Nelson’s medical and social history will be gathered. Anything which could be relevant to the investigation will be taken into consideration,” the office said in a statement.

Entertainment website TMZ, citing unnamed sources, reported that Prince was treated for an overdose of the opioid-based painkiller Percocet in the week before his death.

After a show in Atlanta, the singer was taken to hospital after his private jet made an unscheduled landing in Moline, Illinois.

“Multiple sources in Moline tell us Prince was rushed to a hospital and doctors gave him a ‘save shot’… typically administered to counteract the effects of an opiate,” TMZ said. AFP could not immediately verify the report.