Canadian authorities said on Monday they will perform an autopsy including toxicology tests to determine the cause of death of actor Cory Monteith, the 31-year-old heartthrob of Fox's musical-comedy television series "Glee" who was found dead on Saturday in a Vancouver hotel room.
The British Columbia Coroners Service said the autopsy will be carried out immediately but results will not be available for several days. Toxicology tests are used to determine if drugs, alcohol or other substances were in his body at the time of death.
"We do understand there's a lot of public interest in this case and we will try to get it done in as good a time as we can without compromising the integrity of the investigation," said Barbara McLintock, a spokeswoman for the Coroners Service.
Monteith was found dead shortly after noon on Saturday in his room at the Fairmont Pacific Rim hotel. Vancouver police said they believe he was alone in the room after returning to the hotel early on Saturday morning.
Monteith was public about his struggles with substance abuse. In April, he completed voluntary treatment for unspecified substance addiction at a rehab facility. He had also been treated in a facility at age 19.
The actor, who grew up in Victoria, British Columbia, told Parade magazine in 2011 that he had a serious drug problem during his teenage years for which he received treatment.
Monteith began his career in a number of small roles leading up to a recurring part between 2006 and 2007 in the ABC Family science-fiction drama "Kyle XY" and another role around the same time on the MTV series "Kaya."
"Glee," a show set in the small town of Lima, Ohio, was Monteith's breakthrough. The show is centered on a high school glee club. Popular for its song and dance routines and big-name guest stars, the show has won Golden Globe and Peabody awards.
Monteith played high school athlete Finn Hudson in the series. —
Reuters
source: gmanetwork.com
