Robin Williams may have been deeply depressed when he killed himself in August, but it wasn’t induced by alcohol or illegal drugs, the Marin County coroner says.
The investigation into Williams’ death at his home in Tiburon, north of San Francisico, is concluded, and the final ruling is death by suicide, with no alcohol or illegal drugs in his system.
Instead, all the toxicology tests found were prescription medications in “therapeutic” concentrations, said the statement issued by the Marin County Sheriff’s coroner’s division.
In August, the Oscar-winning actor was found dead by his assistant in a room in his home, hanging by his belt from a closet door. He was 63.
The news touched off shocked responses from his family, friends and fans around the world, and inspired
public discussion about the scourge of bipolar disorder, and the puzzling link between genius andmadness.
It also led to multiple public tributes to Williams, including by his close friend Billy Crystal at the Emmy Awards in September, and most recently by Crystal and his children and his beloved San Francisco Giants at one of their World Series games last month.
Williams had long battled depression, alcoholism and drug addiction, and shortly after his death his widow, Susan Schneider, revealed he also had recently been diagnosed with early Parkinson’s disease.
In a statement, she said Williams sobriety was “intact” at the time of his death, calling him “brave” as he battled depression, anxiety and the early stages of the disease.
