Mark Salling's Autopsy Report Is Seriously Heartbreaking
This article has mentions of child sexual assault material and suicide.
When "Glee" sashayed onto television screens in 2009, it instantly became a cult classic favorite with many fans. With show creator Ryan Murphy coming off the success of his grittier show "Nip/Tuck," the whimsical weekly musical reached a much wider audience. However, the success of the series also came with some dark secrets embedded within the cast of "Glee." One cast member who seemed to struggle the most with battling back some inner demons was actor Mark Salling who portrayed the character Noah "Puck" Puckerman. Salling ultimately died by suicide in 2018, but the journey there and the subsequent autopsy report continue to reveal disturbing details.
Salling already had a shady history while on set, when he allegedly cheated on co-star and girlfriend Naya Rivera, causing the duo to split in 2010. However, it wasn't until years later that the true depth of what Salling was struggling with came to light. According to the LA Times, Salling was arrested at his home on December 29, 2015 under suspicion of having child sexual assault material. He was ultimately released on a $20,000 bail, even though it was later discovered he had thousands upon thousands of disturbing images and videos in his possession. He ultimately pleaded guilty to charges of owning pornography involving an underage person in 2017 and was due to be sentenced in March of 2018. However, on January 30, 2018, it was discovered that Salling had died, and the autopsy report revealed some heartbreaking details.
If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).
Mark Salling had no drugs in his system at the time of his death
After Mark Salling pleaded guilty in court, he was placed on house arrest with an ankle monitor to trace his whereabouts. According to the initial coroner's report obtained by E! News at the time, Salling was "last known to be alive watching television with his father, in the living room," on the evening of January 29, 2018. Later in the night, his mother saw that Salling wasn't home, and neither was his car, and his ankle monitor was found "down the street." It was officially ruled that the "Glee" star had died from asphyxiation by hanging. Whereas he did not test positive for any illicit drugs, his blood alcohol level at the time of death was 0.095, which exceeds the legal limit for driving and is considered proof of intoxication.
After his death, the case against Salling was officially dismissed. A source close to Salling's family told People at the time, "it's clear [Salling] was dealing with demons." Continuing, the source also clarified that, "The problem doesn't live in the existence of demons or pain...The inherent problem is that he did not seek help or have someone close enough to him willing to call it out."
As part of his plea deal, Salling was initially expected to spend four to seven years in prison and register as a sex offender. Had he survived, he would have been released by 2025 at the latest.
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org