‘Glee’ actor Monteith died of overdose

VANCOUVER, British Columbia: “Glee” actor Cory Monteith, who had struggled for years with substance abuse and once said he was lucky to be alive, died of an overdose of heroin and alcohol, the British Columbia coroner’s office said Tuesday.
“There is no evidence to suggest Mr. Monteith’s death was anything other than a most tragic accident,” the office said in a statement.
The 31-year-old was found dead in his Vancouver, British Columbia, hotel room on Saturday after he didn’t check out on time. He was believed to be alone when he died. Hotel video and electronic records indicate he returned to his room by himself early Saturday.
At a briefing Tuesday afternoon, police said they believe Monteith had been dead for several hours before he was found. They said the coroner’s report didn’t indicate the levels of heroin or alcohol in his system. They ruled out foul play.
“Our belief is that when he took the heroin he was alone,” said Vancouver Police Department spokesman Brian Montague. He added: “There was evidence in the room that was consistent with a drug overdose. We’re not providing exactly what we found at the scene.”




Police said it was too early for the coroner’s office to conclude whether Monteith was the victim of a bad batch of heroin, which turns up from time to time in Vancouver.
Monteith’s death recalled the lives of Heath Ledger, Corey Haim and River Phoenix — actors who battled substance abuse and died in their 20s and 30s.
Monteith had talked bluntly about struggling with addiction since he was a teenager, calling it a serious problem and telling Parade magazine in 2011 he was “lucky to be alive.”