USA: Former fiancee of Heath Ledger, Michelle Williams returns to New York as police say autopsy is inconclusive

Record ID: 678990

  • Title: USA: Former fiancee of Heath Ledger, Michelle Williams returns to New York as police say autopsy is inconclusive
  • Date: 31st January 2008
  • Summary: LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES (FILE) (REUTERS) HEATH LEDGER ON RED CARPET AT 2006 OSCARS WITH MICHELLE WILLIAMS
  • Embargoed: 15th February 2008 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Usa
  • Country: USA
  • Topics: Entertainment,People
  • Reuters ID: LVADXZAQMQ9ONQI8XSWN5Y2VYA72
  • Story Text: While dead actor Heath Ledger's former fiancé Michelle Williams makes her way back to the U.S., Williams' mother arrives at the Brooklyn townhouse the couple shared until late September. New York Police Chief Ray Kelly says Ledger's autopsy is still inconclusive as Hollywood actors lament the loss of a great young star.
    On Wednesday (January 23), one day after Australian actor Heath Ledger's death, his ex-girlfriend and daughter returned to her Brooklyn home, which she had shared with Ledger until last September.
    Actress Michelle Williams, 27, was filming a movie in Sweden when she learned of Ledger's death.
    Williams and her 2-year old daughter, Matilda, were driven home in a large black SUV. Williams, with her daughter in hand, rushed into the garage of the large townhouse without speaking to the media.
    Michelle Williams and Heath Ledger met while filming "Brokeback Mountain". Both were nominated for Academy Awards for their roles in the film. The couple ended their relationship last year.
    Ledger's cause of death has not been officially determined.
    On Wednesday New York City's medical examiner conducted an autopsy, and the results were inconclusive.
    Williams' mother and friends arrived early on Wednesday (January 23) at her home.

    "The Medical Examiner said today there was no criminality. Of course we have to wait for the toxicology report, that could be as long as 10 days. There was some issue about a twenty dollar bill. There was a rolled up twenty dollar bill found, no testing of that bill has been done as yet,"
    New York Police Commissioner Ray Kelly told reporters.
    Police said the death may have been accidental. There were sleeping and anti-anxiety pills by the bed but no illegal drugs in the apartment, no suicide note and no evidence of foul play.
    Ledger's family in Perth, Australia, called his death a tragic accident and appealed for privacy to let them grieve.
    Ledger and Williams split in September and Ledger moved from their Brooklyn home to an apartment in the SoHo neighborhood of Manhattan, where fans built a shrine of flowers and candles at the front door and a battery of television trucks stood guard.
    Accolades came from Hollywood's elite, who considered Ledger a special talent who stood out both as leading man and supporting actor in films such as "The Patriot" in 2000 and "Monster's Ball" in 2001.

    "My heart goes out to his family and his kid. He's got a little kid. I don't know, you know people have demons, sometimes and it's hard to see them," actor William H. Macy told Access Hollywood at the Sundance Film Festival.
    Actress Mg Ryan added that Ledger's death is "Just an unspeakably sad thing. And I think everybody's hearts and thoughts go out to his loved ones."
    In the weeks before his death, Ledger finished shooting a new Terry Gilliam project "The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus," in London.
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