A memorial has been created in front of 421 Broome St. in Manhattan, where Heath Ledger was found dead in his apartment Tuesday.
(Marko Georgiev/reuters)
Six different prescription drugs were found in Heath Ledger's New York apartment - including anti-anxiety medications and sleeping pills - though the cause of his death won't be known for days after a preliminary autopsy yesterday was inconclusive, authorities said.
A rolled-up $20 bill was also found on the floor near the Australian actor's bed, but lab tests detected no traces of drug residue. Police also said no illegal drugs were found in the apartment.
Police released an in-depth timeline of Ledger's final moments. According to it, a massage therapist who discovered Ledger in his apartment made her first call to Mary-Kate Olsen.
Police said Ledger probably died sometime between 1 p.m. and 2:45 p.m. Tuesday of what authorities say could be an accidental drug overdose. Among the six different types of prescription drugs that authorities found in Ledger's apartment were pills to treat insomnia and anxiety, according to two law enforcement officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because the investigation is ongoing.
Ledger's housekeeper, Teresa Solomon, arrived at his apartment with her own key and let herself in. At 1 p.m., she went to his bedroom to change a light bulb and saw Ledger sleeping and heard him snoring. She left the room without thinking anything was wrong.
At 2:45 p.m., a masseuse named Diana Wolozin showed up for her massage appointment with Ledger, who didn't answer when she knocked on his door. She then tried to call him on his cellphone but again got no response. She went into the bedroom, set up her table, and tried to wake Ledger. Wolozin told police that Ledger was cold to the touch, but she assumed he was unconscious. She proceeded to grab his cellphone and call Olsen, whose number is programmed into the phone. Wolozin knew that Olsen and Ledger were friends, and she asked Olsen for advice on what she should do next.
Olsen, who also lives in Manhattan but was in California at the time, responded by saying she would send over her private security guards. In the ensuing moments, Wolozin realized that Ledger might be dead, and called 911. The emergency operator provided Wolozin instructions on CPR, but it was too late. Paramedics arrived minutes later - at about the same time as Olsen's security guards.
Ellen Borakove, a spokeswoman for the medical examiner's office, said the autopsy on the 28-year-old actor was inconclusive and that more would be known in about 10 days, when more tests were completed.
Fans left flowers and candles outside Ledger's apartment. News of the death stunned family, fans, and colleagues.
"Working with Heath was one of the purest joys of my life," said "Brokeback Mountain" director Ang Lee. "He brought to the role of Ennis more than any of us could have imagined - a thirst for life, for love, and for truth, and a vulnerability that made everyone who knew him love him. His death is heartbreaking."
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