Brittany Murphy Died of Pneumonia and Drugs, Coroner Says

Actress's death deemed accidental; coroner still investigating who prescribed her medications

We know what killed Brittany Murphy, but the mystery is far from over. The Los Angeles coroner today announced that the 32-year-old Clueless star died from a combination of pneumonia and prescription drugs.

Pneumonia was listed as the primary cause, according to coroner's spokesman Craig Harvey. But secondary factors were iron-deficiency anemia and multiple drug intoxication. All the drugs ingested were prescription medications, Harvey says. The death was ruled accidental.

A more detailed report—with information on the types of drugs Murphy was taking and whether she died following an overdose or harmful drug interaction—is expected in about two weeks.

The actress died Dec. 20 in her home, despite the frantic efforts of her mother, Sharon, and husband, Simon Monjack, to revive her.

Both her mother and Monjack have made the media rounds in recent weeks insisting that Murphy did not have a drug problem or any kind of eating disorder. Neither has commented on today's announcement.

Coroner's investigators returned to the home just yesterday to get more information on the types of medications Murphy was using and who was prescribing them.

Monjack had been planning to hold a memorial/fundraiser for the Brittany Murphy Foundation in Beverly Hills Thursday evening. However, he scrapped the event earlier this week due to an unspecified illness.

(Originally published Feb. 4, 2010, at 9:33 a.m. PT)