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FILE- In this April 30, 2013 file photo, Justice Sheila Abdus-Salaam looks on as members of the state Senate Judiciary Committee vote unanimously to advance her nomination to fill a vacancy on the Court of Appeals at the Capitol in Albany, N.Y.(Photo: Mike Groll, AP)

ALBANY -- A New York high court judge found dead Wednesday by the Hudson Riverwas remembered as a trailblazing jurist known for her thoughtful decisions and sunny demeanor.

Judge Sheila Abdus-Salaam, 65, became the first African-American womanappointed to the Court of Appeals in 2013, serving for four years on the state's top court before she was discoveredon theManhattan side of the river Wednesday afternoon.

There was no sign Thursday of a crime having being committed, according to police. Police were investigating her death as a suicide, the New York Times reported.

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In a statement, New York Chief Judge Janet DiFiore said Abdus-Salaam's smile "could light up the darkest room."

"Her personal warmth, uncompromising sense of fairness, and bright legal mind were an inspiration to all of us who had the good fortune to know her," said DiFiore, a former Westchester County district attorney who served on the bench with Abdus-Salaam for the past 15 months.

Abdus-Salaam was appointed to the seven-member high court byGov. Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat, and was confirmed by the Republican-led Senate without opposition in May 2013.

Prior to serving on the Court of Appeals, Abdus-Salaam was a judge at the Appellate Division and Supreme Court levels for 20 years.

She was a Columbia Law School classmate of former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, who lauded Abdus-Salaam at herswearing-in ceremony in Albany four years ago.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo called Abdus-Salaam a "trailblazing jurist whose life in public service was in pursuit of a more fair and more just New York for all."

"As the first African-American woman to be appointed to the states Court of Appeals, she was a pioneer," he said in a statement. "Through her writings, her wisdom, and her unshakable moral compass, she was a force for good whose legacy will be felt for years to come."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Sheila Abdus-Salaam, NY judge found dead, remembered as 'trailblazer' - The Journal News | LoHud.com