R.I.P.
Ledger's Death Doesn't Look Like Suicide

Multiple sources in the NYPD tell TMZ, although it's too early to know, it's looking like Heath Ledger's death was accidental and not suicide.

There have been numerous reports suggesting that Ledger took his own life by ingesting a boatload of pills. Contrary to initial reports, the pills that were "scattered" around Ledger's apartment were actually in containers. We're told the containers were not littering the apartment. Rather, some were in the medicine cabinet and some in other rooms. As we reported, one container was on Ledger's nightstand. Cops found sleeping pills and an anti-anxiety drug in the bedroom.

A rep for the family tells TMZ that detectives have been in touch with Ledger's next of kin and the cops told them that so far there is no evidence suggesting suicide. Of course, until the toxicology reports come in, no one knows for sure.

A well-connected source in the NYPD told us this morning the "operating theory" right now within the department is that it was an accidental death, not suicide.

It's unclear if Ledger's health was a factor. As we first reported, he had pneumonia at the time of his death.

Filed under: R.I.P., Heath Ledger

Reader Comments

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61. To that guy me what ever your sn is your heartless you have no feeling nor respect for someone's death no matter what happend to that person you just hot to have respect for the dead! you sir are a real jerk what if his famliy is reading this post or maybe one of his friends do you know how badly that they are hurting right now! You sir are a ass sorry to all of you are reading this but it is true what if it was his on brother and someone said hurtful things aout his brother he would want to knock out someone! You just don't say hurtful things when someone die I just feel sorry for you as the say what comes around goes around and it will be 10x harder on you! JERK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Posted at 10:13AM on Jan 23rd 2008 by Jerri from Milwaukee, WI

62. "...AND NOW HIS DAUGHTER THAT HE ADORED WON'T HAVE HER FATHER!

Posted at 10:03AM on Jan 23rd 2008 by ME"

Looks like YOU have father issues. Go deal with your own and let the man rest in peace.

Posted at 10:13AM on Jan 23rd 2008 by Pathetic

63. Heath, I just can't quit you.

Posted at 10:13AM on Jan 23rd 2008 by Brokeback

64. My heart breaks for his daughter, family and anyone touched by Heath. It is trully a sad ending to the beginning of a wonderful career and fatherhood. He was so talented, I will miss him and am deeply saddened by the news.,. I am still in shock,
Rest in Peace Heath, We loved you!!!

Posted at 10:14AM on Jan 23rd 2008 by HeartBrokenInMN

65. How is an overdose not suicide? It tells you on the bottle not to mix drugs or take too many. People have such a hard time accepting someone taking their life that they would rather think it was an "accidential" overdose. Taking drugs makes him a much better person than someone who takes them to die? It could of been a suicide but just because the drugs were i differet areas it's ot considered one. He was depressed and in need of help so this was no accident and the family is just going to have to deal with that.

Posted at 10:15AM on Jan 23rd 2008 by WTF

66. . i couldn't care less this douch has all the money in the wolrd and yet died like a junky. that shows money doesn't bring happiness and yet with all that money he could afford the best care in the world for his addiction. what a loser, punk.

Posted at 9:23AM on Jan 23rd 2008 by VLad

well said!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Posted at 10:16AM on Jan 23rd 2008 by mr X

67. 68. How is an overdose not suicide? It tells you on the bottle not to mix drugs or take too many. People have such a hard time accepting someone taking their life that they would rather think it was an "accidential" overdose. Taking drugs makes him a much better person than someone who takes them to die? It could of been a suicide but just because the drugs were i differet areas it's ot considered one. He was depressed and in need of help so this was no accident and the family is just going to have to deal with that.

Its really easy to not be a suicide, take for instance you are so tired you can sleep or think straight so you take a sleeping pill, not thinking of how it will react with any other prescriptions you are on. When you get to the point of tiredness that I am thinking he was at, it is very logical to see how this could happen accidentally.

Posted at 10:19AM on Jan 23rd 2008 by pthrift

68. 70. OMG! U r gay!!!

Posted at 10:21AM on Jan 23rd 2008 by Taffy Titz

69. If he truly tried to commit suicide, then when they do an autopsy, there will be massive amounts of the same drug in his body.

If he just kind of didnt care, and wanted sleep, or to feel better, then he probably took a few too many pills, or a mixture of soemthing probably feeling this was nothing. Trust me when you are a pill taker, you normally get use to your pills, and slowly add more to do the same afeect, but not wanting to end your life.

Posted at 10:22AM on Jan 23rd 2008 by Jazz

70. a combination of a perfectly legal ambien and xanax plus either alcohol or an underlying heart condition can kill someone silently while they sleep. poor ledger. especially poor mattie.

Posted at 10:22AM on Jan 23rd 2008 by Bogdana

71. #68:

An overdose is taking more drugs than is safe to take. Suicide is the intentional cause of ones own death. An accidental overdose is when someone, who does not intend to cause his own death, unknowingly mixes drugs that, when combined, causes their death. Heath's death is not a case of a person taking lethal doses of cocaine or crack, as some people tend to associate whenever they hear the term "overdose". This is a case of a very insomniac and stressed person, likely on a daily dosage of anti-anxiety medication for the depression he was suffering over the break-up of his relationship, taking 3 or 4 Ambien sleeping pills to go to sleep while jetlagged upon returning from shooting in London and dying from it. This is a man who probably wanted to sleep but did not want to die. There's a huge difference between a crackhead and a person trying to get some sleep. It's a distinction that much of the media is not clarifying and, as a result, is stigmatizing the memory of a very goodhearted and kind person.

Posted at 10:26AM on Jan 23rd 2008 by Kelly

72. I think this was a lethal combination of too many Ambiens with his anti-anxiety medication. I honestly don't think the public is really informed on what medications, and in what quantities, they can combine safely. It is because of those lengthy "disclaimers" in the packaging that are impossible to read because it's like reading a formal contract just to figure out what is in a medication and what the side effects are. They need to make it simpler and they need to be specific...such as "do not exceed 3 pills over 24 hours and do not combine with the following medications: xyz".

Posted at 10:26AM on Jan 23rd 2008 by Kelly

73. heart and prayers go out to him and his loved ones ..wow ..how sad ...

Posted at 10:28AM on Jan 23rd 2008 by julie in cincinnati

74. guys come on! this is heath we r talking about. he is NOT one of those actors who is constantly in the spotlight for the wrong things. the guy deserve to be remembered for who he is : a quit intellectual who gave a heck of a performance in all his movies.

i feel the pain of his baby's momma and the rest of the family. GOD SPEED HEATH!

Posted at 10:28AM on Jan 23rd 2008 by Yardie

75. I know this will probably end up being futile, but I hope not. I would like to respond to the people who are stating negative and even twisted comments about Heath after his death. As a savy blog reader, I understand, as many other savy readers do, that the vast majority of people making these demented comments don't really mean it. They are attention starved individuals who are doing it for shock value to see what kind of responses they can get. That's all fine with me; I have learned how to "scan" over these comments and write them off as insignificant. However, for those of you doing this, please remember that Heath's family and close friends may be reading these comments later. Forget about us, we know what your agenda is. But remember that Heath's family is going to mourning for a long time, and your comments could have a great, adverse affect on their healing process.

Posted at 10:28AM on Jan 23rd 2008 by pinky

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