Report: Cory Monteith Died Of Mixed Toxicity, Heroin And Alcohol Found In His Body

Despite an earlier report today by Vancouver police stating that there had been nothing to indicate Cory Monteith’s death was due to illicit drug use, several sites are reporting that the Coroners Service of British Columbia announced on Tuesday (July 16) that the Glee star died of mixed toxicity, with heroin and alcohol being found in his body.

Coroners Service spokeswoman Barb McClintock stated that the investigation into the actor’s death is ongoing and no further information will be released until its conclusion, according to E! Online. This at least seems to confirm speculation that Monteith’s past demons of substance abuse were the cause of his tragic, untimely death at the age 31.

Monteith’s death has shocked fans of Glee, as well as the actor’s fellow co-stars, many of whom took to Twitter over the weekend to express their grief. “At this time please send nothing but love and light,” tweeted Harry Shum, Jr., who, like Monteith, has appeared in all four seasons of Glee, and plays the character Mike Chang. “This tragic news still doesn’t seem real to me. I love you Cory.”

Monteith and his on-screen girlfriend Lea Michele (Rachel Berry on Glee) were also partnered up in real life over the past few years. The pair were still a couple at the time of Monteith’s death. “We ask that everyone kindly respect Lea’s privacy during this devastating time,” Michele’s reps stated over the weekend.

In a 2011 interview with Parade, Victoria, British Columbia, native Monteith mentioned that, as early as age 16, he had struggled with drug use. He revealed that he did a stint in rehab at age 19. “I’m lucky on so many counts,” he told the magazine. “I’m lucky to be alive.”

Monteith found himself back in rehab just this past spring, as Glee‘s fourth season was winding down. On March 31, E! Online confirmed that the actor was once again seeking help for substance abuse. He completed his treatment on April 26.

Meanwhile, a Fox source has told the New York Daily News that production on Glee’s fifth season, which was originally to start next week, may now be delayed a month “to let everyone breathe.” As is, the airing of Glee and other series on the network is typically interrupted in October by Major League Baseball playoffs, so this could push the premiere of the musical dramedy’s fifth season back from September to November.