Celebrities who tragically died of overdoses - Their lives ended with a fatal fix

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Gangsta Boo (1979-2023) -

The rapper Gangsta Boo died suddenly on January 1, 2023, at the age of 43. Born Lola Mitchell, she rose to fame as a rapper with the group Three Six Mafia, which she joined when she was just 14 years old. The cause of the Memphis-born artist's untimely death has finally been revealed more than six months later. According to a report from Fox 13, Mitchell died of an accidental overdose. Fentanyl, cocaine, and alcohol were all present in her system when she was found dead in her home. A posthumous Gangsta Boo album is set for release on August 7—the day that would have been her 44th birthday. 

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Michael K. Williams (1966–2021) -

Known for playing Omar Little on the HBO drama series 'The Wire' from 2002 to 2008, Michael K. Williams died aged 54 from a fatal combination of fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine.

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Mac Miller (1992-2018) -

Mac Miller was one of many young stars to lose their lives to an overdose in recent years. He passed away in 2018 at the age of 26 after accidentally taking too much fentanyl, along with cocaine and alcohol. 

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Amy Winehouse (1983–2011) -

Fatal levels of alcohol ended the short life of Amy Winehouse. She died of alcohol poisoning after binge drinking following a period of abstinence. She was 27 years old.

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Tom Petty (1950–2017) -

An accidental but lethal cocktail of opioids, sedatives, and antidepressants killed 66-year-old Tom Petty, famed as the front man of the Heartbreakers.

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Philip Seymour Hoffman (1967–2014) -

By all accounts, actor Philip Seymour Hoffman's drug use was under control at the time of his untimely death from acute mixed drug intoxication aged 46. He had relapsed in 2012 after struggling with addiction in his youth.

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Heath Ledger (1979–2008) -

Australian actor Heath Ledger was just 28 when he died from an accidental overdose of prescription medications including painkillers, anti-anxiety drugs, and sleeping pills, according to the New York City medical examiner's office.

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Marilyn Monroe (1926–1962) -

Mystery surrounds the death of Marilyn Monroe to this day. The toxicology report showed that the cause of death was acute barbiturate poisoning. Furthermore, added the coroner, the 36-year-old had very likely taken her own life. Several conspiracy theories to the contrary have circulated in the decades following her demise.

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Prince (1958–2016) -

Prince had been using powerful opioids in an attempt to numb the pain wracking his body after years of athletic stage performances. He died alone aged 57 of an accidental overdose of fentanyl, a synthetic opioid 50 times more powerful than heroin.

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Michael Jackson (1958–2009) -

The "King of Pop" died aged 50 of acute propofol and benzodiazepine intoxication. The drugs were administered to the singer by Conrad Murray, his personal physician. Murray was later found guilty of involuntary manslaughter and served two years of a four-year sentence.

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River Phoenix (1970–1993) -

Twenty-three-year-old River Phoenix collapsed after overdosing on a speedball, a combination of cocaine and heroin, outside the Viper Room, a Los Angeles night club partially owned at the time by actor Johnny Depp.

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John Belushi (1949–1982) -

An accidental speedball overdose also ended the life of 'Blues Brothers' star John Belushi. He was 33 years old.

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Keith Moon (1946–1978) -

Hell-raiser Keith Moon's substance of choice was alcohol. Somewhat ironically, however, it was an overdose of prescriptions drugs designed to alleviate alcohol withdrawal symptoms that killed the Who's drummer, who was 32.

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Janis Joplin (1943–1970) -

One of the most influential singer-songwriters of her generation, Janis Joplin was just 27 when she died of a heroin overdose.

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Judy Garland (1922–1969) -

Judy Garland's lifelong substance use disorder eventually led to her death from an accidental barbiturate overdose at age 47. Garland's long-term struggles with addiction had become almost as well known as her legendary singing voice. She also had a history of depression and alcoholism.

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Jimi Hendrix (1942–1970) -

Arguably rock music's best-ever guitarist, Jimi Hendrix's early death at age 27 from asphyxia while intoxicated with barbiturates shocked the industry. He effectively suffocated after aspirating his own vomit.

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Jean Seberg (1938–1979) -

Born in the United States but choosing to live half of her life in France, actress Jean Seberg decided to end it there with an overdose of barbiturates at age 40. Seberg had been under FBI surveillance because of her support for the Black Panther Party. Many believe that her death (she killed herself) was as a direct result of the Bureau's assault on her reputation.

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Truman Capote (1924–1984) -

Novelist Truman Capote, known for his 1966 true crime novel 'In Cold Blood,' was in and out of drug rehabilitation clinics for most of the 1970s. His cause of death at age 59 was due in part to multiple drug intoxication, although the death certificate noted liver disease as the principal contributory factor.

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Brian Epstein (1934–1967) -

When Beatles manager Brian Epstein died of an overdose of barbiturates at age 32, John Lennon later commented that his death marked the beginning of the end for the group: "I knew that we were in trouble then," he said. Speculation as to whether Epstein's death was an accident or intentional still circulates today.

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Jim Morrison (1943–1971) -

The jury is still out on this one. The Doors frontman was found dead in the bathtub of his Paris apartment. He was 27 years old. The official cause of death was heart failure, though no autopsy was performed. It's been suggested that Morrison might have instead succumbed to a heroin overdose. 

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Jean-Michel Basquiat (1960–1988) -

Artist Jean-Michel Basquiat, a good friend of Andy Warhol, was the rising young star of New York's Neo-expressionism movement. His death at the age of 27 from a heroin overdose robbed the art scene of one of its most promising individuals. Since his death, Basquiat's work has been valued in the millions.

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Sid Vicious (1957–1979) -

Born Simon John Ritchie, Sid Vicious was the bassist with English punk band the Sex Pistols. He died aged 21 from an overdose of heroin supplied by a photographer friend while on bail from Rikers Island, and not long after being arrested on suspicion of murdering his girlfriend, Nancy Spungen.

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Cory Monteith (1982–2013) -

The life of Canadian actor and musician Cory Monteith, best known for his role as Finn Hudson on the television series 'Glee,' ended after the 31-year-old died of a toxic combination of heroin and alcohol.

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Sigmund Freud (1856–1939) -

Sigmund Freud died of an overdose of morphine, given to him by his doctor at his request after the great Austrian neurologist and the founder of psychoanalysis was told his cancer was inoperable. He was 83.

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Rainer Werner Fassbinder (1945–1982) -

A hugely influential figure in the New German Cinema Movement, filmmaker Rainer Werner Fassbinder used drugs to combat stress and fatigue. He died suddenly aged 37 from an overdose of cocaine and barbiturates.

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Anna Nicole Smith (1967–2007) -

The 1993 Playmate of the Year, model Anna Nicole Smith was allegedly addicted to prescription medications, a habit that eventually led to her death at age 39 from combined drug intoxication. No illegal substances were found in her system.

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Lenny Bruce (1925–1966) -

Stand-up comedian, social critic, and satirist Lenny Bruce struggled with substance abuse for most of his adult life. He died aged 40 from acute morphine poisoning caused by an overdose.

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John Entwistle (1944–2002) -

The Who's bassist John Entwistle went out in true and tragic rock and roll fashion, dying from a heart attack induced by copious amounts of cocaine. The "Ox," as he was known, was 57.

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Philip Lynott (1949–1986) -

Phil Lynott, principal songwriter, lead vocalist, and bassist of rock band Thin Lizzy, struggled with drug-related problems in the 1980s. His death aged 36 from pneumonia and heart failure due to septicemia was blamed in part on his dependency on heroin.

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Ronald "Bon" Scott (1946–1980) -

The original lead vocalist of the Australian band AC/DC, 33-year-old hard-drinking "Bon" Scott met a sad end, dying alone in the back of car from acute alcoholic poisoning.

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Kenneth Williams (1926–1988) -

A household name in the United Kingdom, Kenneth Williams was known for his comedy roles in the highly successful British Carry On film series. In later life he became a raconteur and noted diarist. But he was a lonely and despondent character, and chose to end his life at 62 with an overdose of barbiturates. His last words (recorded in his diary) were, "Oh, what's the bloody point?"

Sources: (The Guardian) (USA Today) (CNN) (Associated Press) (Newsweek) (The Independent) (Louder) (New York Magazine) (CBS Los Angeles)

See also: Stars who succumbed to heart attacks

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