Coroner: Drugs were found in Fisher's system
LOS ANGELES — Carrie Fisher’s autopsy report shows the actress had cocaine in her system when she fell ill on a plane last year, but investigators could not determine what impact the cocaine and other drugs found in her system had on her death.
The report released Monday states Fisher may have taken cocaine three days before the Dec. 23 flight on which she became ill. She died four days later.
It also found traces of heroin, other opiates and MDMA, which is also known as ecstasy, but that they could not determine when Fisher had taken those drugs. The findings were based on toxicology screenings done on samples taken when the “Star Wars” actress arrived at a Los Angeles hospital.
Coroner’s officials ruled Fisher died from sleep apnea and a combination of other factors. A news release issued Friday mentioned drugs were found in Fisher’s system, but it did not provide details.
Monday’s full report contains a detailed explanation of the results.
“At this time the significance of cocaine cannot be established in this case,” the report states.
It also states that while heroin is detectable in the system for a briefer period of time, investigators could not determine when Fisher took it or the ecstasy. Toxicology tests also found other opiates in Fisher’s system, including morphine, although the report states the morphine could have been a byproduct of heroin.
Among the factors that contributed to Fisher’s death was buildup of fatty tissue in the walls of her arteries, the coroner’s office said last week.
