Celebrity Deaths and Suicides: Cory Monteith, Lee Thompson Young, Lisa Robin Kelley

0
3132

Following is an overview of several recent celebrity deaths, actor Cory Monteith, Lee Thompson Young, and Lisa Robin Kelley. In each overview, I’ll provide the details surrounding their death, the following investigation, and the official cause of death.

The Life and Death of Cory Monteith

The first tragic celebrity death is Cory Monteith. Cory was most well known for his portrayal of the good-natured jock with a heart of gold, Finn Hudson, in Glee. Monteith’s real-life persona was no different. Known for his friendly, good-natured personality, Cory was loved by his fans, co-stars, and friends.

Unfortunately, he began experimenting with drugs at the young age of 12. Then, he dropped out of school at the age of 16. He entered rehabilitation for his substance abuse at the age of 19 upon the insistence of his family and friends. This side of Cory’s life was more or less hidden and came out only in 2011 when he spoke about his childhood troubles in a magazine interview.

The actor often spoke out about the dangers of drug use. In March 2013, his Glee co-stars and members of Paramount Studios staged an intervention. Afterward, he sought addiction treatment and completed about a month in rehab.

A detailed account of Monteith’s death

Post-rehab since April 2013, Cory was believed to be clean from all drugs. His friends and close acquaintances spoke out about his healthier life choices and believed him to be happier and more outgoing in the months before his death. This is why Cory’s sudden passing came as such a shock to his loved ones and fans.

On July 13, he was found dead in a hotel room in Fairmont Pacific Rim in Vancouver by the hotel staff. He failed to check out on the last day of his stay. Shortly thereafter, the hotel staff discovered his body. Upon initial investigation, no cause of death was clear.

The Vancouver Police Department ruled out foul play and scheduled an autopsy for July 15. The preliminary report suggested that the cause of death originated from a deadly mixture of toxins created by alcohol and heroin, pointing to an accidental fatal overdose.

The final report was released in October and confirmed the findings of the initial analysis, claiming that Monteith’s system also contained morphine and codeine at the time of death. It was also revealed that he was found with two champagne bottles and several drug paraphernalia in his hotel room, including a hypodermic needle and a spoon with residue.

Also, the coroner’s report suggested that Monteith experienced intermittent abuse and abstinence throughout his life. Due to this intermittent abstinence period, the toxic mixture of alcohol, heroin, and other opioids could have led to a fatal overdose.

The aftermath of Monteith’s passing

At the time, Cory Monteith was in a serious relationship with Glee costar Lea Michele, who was filming at a different location. He was cremated on July 17th in Vancouver in a private gathering of family and Michele. Subsequently, the show faced a short hiatus, where the death of Cory’s character Finn was included in the storyline.

Although celebrity deaths are nothing to celebrate, several tributes were dedicated to Cory. For example, a special tribute episode on the show and the 65th Primetime Emmy Awards were organized on September 22, 2013.


The Unexpected Death of Actor Lee Thompson Young

Lee Thompson Young

From a young age, Lee Thompson Young wanted to be an actor. He landed his first acting role at age ten to portray Martin Luther King. Afterward, his acting career took off in his late teens when he landed a lead role in the Disney movie The Famous Jett Jackson.

Also, he performed guest roles in Friday Night Lights and The Guardian before being cast in a lead role in the police procedural drama Rizzoli & Isles. Despite his promise and talent as an actor, Lee Thompson Young met a sudden end when he was discovered dead in his apartment. Unfortunately, it was one of the more shocking celebrity deaths because he showed so much promise.

He graduated from the University of Southern California with honors and enjoyed writing screenplays. His most notable screenplay work was a 2007 short film called Mano.

In addition, he wrote a short role in the film. He continued being featured in many hit TV series, including Scrubs, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, Lincoln Heights, Smallville, The Event, The Good Guys, and CSI: NY. An impressive list of popular shows for such a young actor.

Despite his growing career as an actor, Lee Thompson Young became a victim of his bipolar disorder condition and shot himself in the head.

How Did Lee Thompson Young Die?

Young did not show up at the filming of Rizzoli & Isles on August 19, 2013, and the local police department issued a well-being check at his Los Angeles apartment. He was found dead in his home, and his manager stated that the young actor had committed suicide. After the police ruled out foul play, it was determined that the cause of death was a self-inflicted gunshot wound to his head.

The autopsy detailed that he used a handgun and did not leave a suicide note. Young also maintained a regular diary, but none of the entries in the book shed any light on the reason for his suicide. The autopsy report also revealed that Young suffered from bipolar disorder and was experiencing severe depression in the days following his death. While he was taking medication for the condition, there are no accounts that added a new perspective to his death.

Lee Thompson Young’s funeral and remembrance

On August 23, 2013, he was interred at Inglewood Park Cemetery after a three-hour funeral with hundreds of attendees. The attendees included family, friends, co-stars, and other well-wishers. The event was held at Hollywood’s Paramount lot, where Rizzoli & Isles is taped. Young’s good nature and acting talent did not go amiss as co-star Angie Harmon broke down to tears during her eulogy.

The cast and crew of Rizzoli & Isles and the Disney channel issued statements mourning the loss of Young and recounting the deep bond they formed with the budding actor. The funeral also included practices from the West African religion ‘Ifa’ that Young followed. Dancers dressed in white performed at the event while his mother blessed the ground. The family also requested the attendees to contribute to the Young Storytellers Foundation and raise awareness of arts and humanities for unprivileged children.

The Rise and Fall of Actress Lisa Robin Kelly from the 70’s Show

Lisa Robin Kelly

Next on the list of recent celebrity deaths is Lisa Robin Kelley. She was best known for her role as the promiscuous and spiteful sister of Eric Forman in the hit series That 70’s Show and Amityville Dollhouse. Lisa Robin Kelly went through several highs and lows throughout her 20-year career. At 43, Lisa died in her sleep after a long battle against drug abuse and alcoholism.

Born in 1970 in Southington, Connecticut, Lisa appeared in several TV series like Married…with Children, Charmed, The X-Files, and Days of our Lives until she found a recurring role in That 70’s Show as Laurie Forman.

Lisa’s alcohol troubles and departure from That 70’s Show

For five seasons on the show, Lisa continued to act as a recurring cast member and was soon replaced by Christian Moore. It was later revealed that she left the show due to her alcohol issues. She confessed to having ‘run away’ after the successful stint as Laurie Forman. Her agent, Craig Wyckoff, reported that she was attempting to get her life back in order and checked into rehab on August 12.

However, her efforts to stay sober did not bear fruit, as she received emergency medical attention due to excessive alcohol consumption. She was believed to be hospitalized a few days before her death with an alarmingly high blood alcohol level of 0.34. Many states consider .10 blood alcohol to be legally drunk.

Her trysts with drugs and alcohol often led to legal trouble, as Kelly was first arrested in 2010 for drunken driving in North Carolina. A few months later, she pleaded guilty in November and was sentenced to a year of unsupervised probation and a fine. In March 2012, Lisa was again arrested on felony charges that involved causing injury to her boyfriend.

She was later released on a bail of $50,000. The felony charges were filed by her former boyfriend, John Michas, whose claims were later publicly denied by Kelly.

Trouble knocked on Kelly’s door again in November 2012 when both Lisa, aged 42, and her husband Robert Joseph Gilliam, aged 61, were arrested on charges of assault. They were both released later on bond. Most recently, Lisa was arrested in June 2013 for a suspected DUI.

The arrest happened on June 23, when the police responded to a call about a car blocking a traffic lane. Lisa was then tested for alcohol consumption, which she failed, leading to her arrest.

Death and Coroner’s Report

Lisa Robin Kelly was found dead in her home and was believed to have passed on in her sleep on August 14, 2013. It was believed that she had checked herself into rehabilitation a few days before her death. After an initial diagnosis and post-mortem, the LA Sheriff’s Department ruled out foul play as the cause of death.

On January 3, 2014, the coroner’s toxicology report suggested that the cause of death was multiple drug intoxication. Lisa was known to be alcohol dependent and had extensively consumed a wide array of drugs, possibly leading to her demise.

Get the scoop on more celebrity drama. Check out more articles related to Celebrity Deaths, such as the Prince death investigation, Michael Jackson, Marilyn Monroe, Paul Walker, and Tupa Shakur.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.