Official Reveals New Details on Robin Williams' Death

By: Aug. 12, 2014
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As the world mourns the tragic loss of comedic great Robin Williams, more details have surfaced on how the actor died. According to the New York Times, a coroner's office official reported today that Williams hanged himself with a belt at his home on Monday, August 11, 2014.

Officials revealed at a news conference today that Williams' personal assistant knocked on his bedroom door at around 11:45 a.m. and went inside after the actor did not answer. The assistant "found Mr. Williams slightly suspended from a door frame in a seated position," according to Lt. Keith Boyd, an assistant deputy chief coroner for Marin County. 911 was called, and emergency workers declared Williams dead at 12:02 p.m. -- from what has now been declared death by asphyxiation by hanging.

Also found near Williams was a pocket knife with dried blood; "superficial wounds" were identified on Williams' left wrist. No word on whether the actor left a note, but officials said Williams had been undergoing treatment for depression.

Williams was a fixture of the entertainment world, a renowned comedian, screen actor and stage star. He rose to fame after his role as 'Mork' in the TV series Mork & Mindy and went on to star in the movies Good Morning, Vietnam, Dead Poets Society, Awakenings, The Fisher King and Good Will Hunting, for which he won the 1997 Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.

The actor starred on the silver screen in comedies such as Popeye, Hook, Aladdin, Mrs. Doubtfire, Jumanji, The Birdcage, Night at the Museum and Happy Feet.

He recently appeared in the films The Angriest Man in Brooklyn, Boulevard and Lee Daniels' The Butler, as well as the comedy series The Crazy Ones opposite Sarah Michelle Gellar. Williams' upcoming projects include Merry Friggin' Christmas, Absolutely Anything and Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb.

Williams made his Broadway debut in 2002 in Robin Williams: Live on Broadway and returned in 2011 for Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo. He also appeared off-Broadway opposite Steve Martin in Samuel Beckett's Waiting for Godot at Lincoln Center in 1988.

Photo Credit: RD / Orchon / Retna Digital



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