Coroner Simon Cooper has criticised the way police handled the investigation into the death of a 67-year-old Smithton woman in 2017.
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Mr Cooper said the absence of photographs and forensic evidence had compromised his own investigation.
Tasmania Police officers responded to a call regarding Debbie Dubravka Killer on October 4, 2017 - more than one week after she was last seen alive.
An officer entered the house through a window to find the woman's body on the kitchen floor near a stove with upset items upon it.
"Despite finding Ms Killer naked, decomposed and deceased in a room with signs of disturbance, the attending police decided not to call upon the assistance of Forensic Service officers," Mr Cooper said.
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He said police had responded by saying it was not necessary to contact Forensic Services if a death was not deemed to be suicide, murder, or fire-related, or concerning an unidentified person.
"I cannot accept that at the time suicide or murder could or should have been ruled out," Mr Cooper said.
"Moreover, at the time police attended the scene Ms Killer's body was unidentified, although was subsequently identified by her general practitioner."
He said police should have taken photographs on their mobile phone or smart tablets which would have been easily accessible.
"The decision not to have Forensic Services attend was a poor one," Mr Cooper said.
"The decision not to photograph the scene was also a poor one.
"The rationale advanced for this decision, that is, that the death was not suspicious, is not one that I accept."
He said as a result, his own investigation had been "hampered" and, therefore, the cause of Ms Killer's death remained unclear.
"Whilst it seems unlikely that any other person was involved in Ms Killer's death, I cannot rule that possibility out particularly in light of the absence of any forensic evidence," Mr Cooper said.
"Finally, I cannot rule out suicide as a cause of death."
He said an autopsy showed Ms Killer had a history of hypertension, obesity, non-insulindependent diabetes mellitus, depression and a previous ovarian cystectomy.
Mr Cooper said the autopsy revealed these pre-existing conditions had no fatal complications attached to them.
Deputy Commissioner Scott Tilyard said even though police were confident there were no suspicious circumstances behind Ms Killer's death, it was reviewing protocols for recording and examining incident scenes.
"The outcome of that review will determine whether changes are required," he said.
