Brittany Murphy's Autopsy Report Is Seriously Heartbreaking

Brittany Murphy's death still hits hard as one of Hollywood's most shocking tragedies. At just 32 years old, she had it all: a rising career with standout roles in "Clueless," "Girl, Interrupted," "8 Mile," and "Uptown Girls," plus the kind of charm that made audiences root for her. Off-screen, things seemed equally rosy — she and her husband, Simon Monjack, were reportedly planning to start a family. But on December 20, 2009, everything came to a halt when Murphy died unexpectedly. The most gut-wrenching part? Her death might have been entirely preventable.

Murphy's passing sent shockwaves through the public, not just because of its suddenness but also the bizarre circumstances surrounding it. Officially, the Los Angeles County Coroner's Office determined she died of natural causes. Meanwhile, the official autopsy report revealed "bilateral acute pneumonia consistent with a community-acquired infection," compounded by "severe hypochromic, microcytic anemia" linked to "chronic iron deficiency," likely from heavy menstrual bleeding. On top of it all, "multiple drug intoxication" also played a role, though none of the medications found — hydrocodone, acetaminophen, chlorpheniramine, and L-methamphetamine (likely from an inhaler) — were illegal.

But Murphy didn't have to die that soon. Dr. Lisa Scheinin, the medical examiner who conducted her autopsy, told Us Weekly years later that a simple doctor's visit could have saved her life. "All she needed was to have gone to a doctor who would probably have sent her immediately for blood transfusions," she said. "Her hematocrit [red blood cell count] was practically so low at death it was incompatible with life. I'm surprised she lasted that long."

The mystery surrounding Brittany Murphy's death took a sharp turn into conspiracy territory when her now-deceased father, Angelo Bertolotti, decided he wasn't buying the official story. In 2012, three years after Murphy's untimely passing, Bertolotti claimed the investigation into her death was incomplete and demanded access to unused hair samples for further testing. "I'm not going to rest until my daughter's untimely demise is properly investigated, which hasn't happened so far. Her case deserves more than a superficial glance," he said in a press release at the time.

Bertolotti eventually got his wish, and the results seemed straight out of a crime thriller. According to a lab report cited by TheWrap, Murphy's hair showed high levels of metals like aluminum, manganese, and barium — enough for the lab to suggest she may have been poisoned "by a third party perpetrator with likely criminal intent." Bertolotti was quick to fan the flames, declaring in a "Good Morning America" appearance, "I have a feeling that there was a definite murder situation here" (via ABC News). But Murphy's mother, Sharon, refuted it all. In an open letter published by The Hollywood Reporter, she accused Bertolotti of exploiting their daughter's death for attention, and said that he was never really there for most of her life. 

Then, the experts chimed in to shut the whole thing down. Dr. Bruce Goldberger, president of the American Board of Forensic Toxicology, dismissed the so-called findings. "A hair test alone, without any clinical signs or symptoms, cannot be used to establish poisoning," he told CNN. "She was a beautiful woman and likely had numerous hair treatments. Chemicals in the hair treatment would alter the chemistry of her hair sample." So, was Murphy's death a sinister plot or a sad tragedy? According to science, it's still the latter.