Brittany Murphy's cause of death has come into question following a lab report that allegedly suggests the actress may have been poisoned.
Murphy died in 2009 at the age of 32. Her death, which was concluded to be accidental, was attributed to multiple drug intoxication, pneumonia and "iron deficiency anemia." Five months later, her husband, Simon Monjack, was also found dead. The 40-year-old was said to have also died of pneumonia and anemia.
Last year, Murphy's father, Angelo Bertolotti, sued the Los Angeles Coroner’s Office and the Los Angeles Police Department to get further toxicology reports, according to The Hollywood Reporter. He accused the departments of "failure to conduct toxicology tests on the specimens" of hair and attested "his daughter’s death was incorrectly determined to have been allegedly caused by pneumonia and anemia.”
After Bertolotti filed the lawsuit, Julia Davis, a screenwriter who worked for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and was working on a biography about Murphy, raised the possibility of poisoning.
"It was highly disturbing to find out that they've neither tested, nor ever intended to test Brittany or Simon’s hair for toxins, poisonous substances and heavy metals," she wrote in a press release, obtained by THR. "These two deaths were simply written off to natural causes, but we don’t agree with this conclusion... The truth will eventually come out, we’ll make sure of it.”
The lawsuit was dismissed, but Bertolotti reportedly secured the release of Murphy's hair, blood and tissues for independent testing, according to the Examiner. He sent the samples to the Carlson Company in Colorado for analysis.
Results supposedly showed the presence of 10 heavy metals above the "high" level set by the World Health Organization.
"Since the autopsy narrative recorded a number of symptoms synonymous with poisoning, I requested testing for heavy metals/toxins," Bertolotti wrote in an email to The Huffington Post Monday. "My suspicions were confirmed. Ten heavy metals were found in abnormally high quantities (as much as 9 times over the 'high' limit designated by the World Health Organization). These types of heavy metals/toxic elements are commonly found in rat poison, pesticides, insecticides, etc. Since neither Brittany nor Simon would have willingly consumed any such substances, the lab concluded that they may have been introduced by a third party with criminal intent."
He has sent formal requests to the authorities "demanding" the deaths be "properly" investigated based on these recent results.
“Vicious rumors, spread by tabloids, unfairly smeared Brittany’s reputation,” he told the Examiner. “My daughter was neither anorexic nor a drug junkie, as they repeatedly implied. Brittany and Simon were ridiculed by The Hollywood Reporter, when they complained of being under surveillance and in fear for their lives. I will not rest until the truth about these tragic events is told. There will be justice for Brittany.”
After Murphy's sudden death, rumors circulated about anorexia, an accidental overdose and even suicide, ABC News previously reported. Mold was speculated to be a factor in the deaths, but Los Angeles County assistant chief coroner Ed Winter dismissed the gossip.
"At the time of their death, both of them were in very poor health. I don't think they ate correctly or took care of themselves. They didn't seek medical attention," Winter told ABC News, but he admitted the eerily similar deaths were "unusual."
UPDATE: The LA County Coroner responded to The Huffington Post's request for comment with an email Monday evening.
"The Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner has no plans to reopen our inquiry into the deaths. We stand by our original reports," Chief Coroner Investigator Craig R. Harvey said. "We have not been presented any [third] party lab test results for analysis, so we are unable to comment on publicized reports of private lab tests."
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
It's Another Trump-Biden Showdown — And We Need Your Help
The Future Of Democracy Is At Stake
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
Your Loyalty Means The World To Us
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
The 2024 election is heating up, and women's rights, health care, voting rights, and the very future of democracy are all at stake. Donald Trump will face Joe Biden in the most consequential vote of our time. And HuffPost will be there, covering every twist and turn. America's future hangs in the balance. Would you consider contributing to support our journalism and keep it free for all during this critical season?
HuffPost believes news should be accessible to everyone, regardless of their ability to pay for it. We rely on readers like you to help fund our work. Any contribution you can make — even as little as $2 — goes directly toward supporting the impactful journalism that we will continue to produce this year. Thank you for being part of our story.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
It's official: Donald Trump will face Joe Biden this fall in the presidential election. As we face the most consequential presidential election of our time, HuffPost is committed to bringing you up-to-date, accurate news about the 2024 race. While other outlets have retreated behind paywalls, you can trust our news will stay free.
But we can't do it without your help. Reader funding is one of the key ways we support our newsroom. Would you consider making a donation to help fund our news during this critical time? Your contributions are vital to supporting a free press.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our journalism free and accessible to all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. If circumstances have changed since you last contributed, we hope you'll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.
Support HuffPostAlready contributed? Log in to hide these messages.