British screenwriter Simon Monjack was found dead in his Los Angeles home on Sunday. Monjack was the husband of the late Brittany Murphy.
Although foul play was the conclusion by many, police refuted it and said that they had found no evidence of criminal activity or any foul play. According to Sgt. Louie Lozano, a police spokesman, the screenwriter’s death has been attributed to natural causes. The Los Angeles Coroner’s Office will now take over the investigation as criminal activity as a cause, has been eliminated.
At approximately 9.40 PM on Sunday night, firefighters had rushed to Monjack’s home in Hollywood Hill in response to an emergency call. The call had been made by a woman who is as yet unidentified. Murphy and Monjack did share their home with the Actress’s mother Sharon, but it has not been confirmed yet whether she was indeed the person on the phone.
It was only five months ago when Brittany Murphy was found dead in the same home. A visibly shaken and emotional Monjack spoke at his late wife’s funeral, extolling her virtues and calling her his soul mate and best friend. Murphy’s death was also cleared of foul play at the time, and the coroner’s office declared the death “accidental, but preventable”.
Contrary to speculation, the actress was not loaded with drugs nor did it find any evidence of drug abuse. The autopsy revealed that the she was under medication for a respiratory illness. Both her husband and mother said that she had been ill with flulike symptoms in the days leading up to her death.