The autopsy on Brittany Murphy is complete, but many questions still remain.
The Los Angeles County coroner completed an autopsy on
actress Brittany Murphy Monday, but said it will be four to six weeks before lab results, including toxicology tests, are back and an official cause of death can be determined.
Police do know that Murphy suffered from cardiac arrest, but the mystery is what caused it in an otherwise healthy 32-year-old woman. Murphy’s
mother said the actress suffered from type-2 diabetes, which she had under control.
Simon Monjack, Murphy’s husband, confirmed she had been suffering from what they thought was the flu in the days leading up to her death. According to notes from an investigator from the coroner’s
office, Brittany “had been complaining of shortness of breath and severe abdominal pain” for about a week before her death.
Sunday morning, Brittany went into the bathroom at approximately 7:30 AM and shut the door. When she hadn’t come out a half hour later, her mother checked on her and found Brittany unresponsive on
the floor, covered in vomit. According to the coroner’s notes, Sharon then called 911 and Simon “attempted to revive the decedent by placing her in the shower and running the water.”
Brittany was already “without signs of life” when paramedics arrived. They moved her into the couple’s bedroom, where they found a suspicious amount of prescription drugs in the names of Brittany,
Simon, Brittany’s mother and others.
According to the notes, “A check of the nightstands revealed large amounts of prescription medication in the decedent’s name. Also noted were numerous empty prescription medication bottles in the
decedent’s husband’s name, the decedent’s mother’s name and unidentified third party names.”
The notes list the drugs as follows: Topamax (an anti-seizure medication also used to prevent migraines), Methylprednisolone (an anti-inflammatory drug), Fluoxetine (for depression), Klonopin (for
anxiety), Carbamazepine (treats Diabetic symptoms and is also a bipolar medication), Ativan (for anxiety), Vicoprofen (a pain reliever, cross between Vicodin for pain and ibuprofen for
inflammation), Propranolol (for hypertension, also used to prevent heart attacks), Biaxin (an antibiotic), Hydrocodone (a powerful pain medication) and miscellaneous vitamins.
The autopsy was performed despite the wishes of Monjack that it not be.
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