Forensics: The Science Behind the Deaths of Famous People

Carrie Fisher, also known as Princess Leia from Star Wars, had been abusing cocaine and other pharmaceuticals for many years, so when it was announced that she died from sleep apnea, I was skeptical. A more plausible explanation would have been that she died from a drug overdose. A review of the medical examiner's report revealed that the Fisher family refused to give permission for an autopsy and toxicology tests to be done.

Constrained by these limitations, the coroner labeled the manner of death "undetermined". FORENSICS: The Science behind the Deaths of Famous People is an analysis and description of how coroners determine the cause and manner of death. An investigation of twenty-three deaths of famous people was conducted based on a review of publicly available autopsy and toxicology reports, as well as published scientific and lay articles.

Drug use was implicated in 70 percent of the deaths. Four celebrity deaths were the result of suicide or homicide. Four others were from natural causes.