Richmond County investigators looking into the 2007 death of John Neumar, Betty Neumar's fifth and latest husband, say it will take time to analyze his ashes.

Investigators have told Mr. Neumar's children that it could take two to four months for the forensic tests to return, his son, John Neumar, of Grovetown, told The Augusta Chronicle .

Police have said they hope to determine if traces of poison, such as arsenic, can be found in the remains. The death of the elder Mr. Neumar, of Augusta, in October at an Augusta VA hospital attracted little attention.

But recent revelations about the deaths of Mrs. Neumar's four former husbands and how quickly she had his body cremated, have aroused suspicions.

Richmond County Sheriff's Lt. Scott Peebles said the ashes have been sent to an outside laboratory because the GBI Crime Lab in Atlanta lacked the ability to test them for arsenic.

"It's not a crime lab, it's a private lab and we had to pay to get it done," Lt. Peebles said.

The Neumar children say they have received numerous calls from the media, but have received no calls from the public that could be helpful to the case, son John Neumar said.

"I'm sure some people could help if they would come forward," he said. "I'm just hoping it's something they can do to figure this out."

John Neumar said he does believe Mrs. Neumar was involved in his father's death. But he said his family did not learn of the death until after his father was cremated.

"I don't care what type of relationship you have with somebody, you don't not tell them," he said. "That's as low as you can go."

The relationship between John Neumar and his father had been strained since the marriage to Mrs. Neumar in 1991.

After that, John Neumar said, his father became disconnected from his family.

"His whole personality changed within a year of marrying her," John Neumar said. "He went from the man who ruled the roost to man a who was ruled."

John Neumar also recalls his father's finances dwindling after the marriage to Mrs. Neumar.

He said his father filed for bankruptcy in 2000.

"He was $200,000 in debt, but he was the man whose house was paid for and he always had money in the bank," John Neumar said. "He was always focused on saving for the future."