Coroner Rules Gary Coleman's Death an Accident

By PopEater / Wire Services Posted Oct 7th 2010 06:46AM

Police confirmed Wednesday that "Diff'rent Strokes" actor Gary Coleman's death has been ruled an accident.

Santaquin Police Chief Dennis Howard said an autopsy found Coleman died of natural causes after an accidental fall. The finding matches the evidence police found at Coleman's Santaquin home on May 26, Howard told The Associated Press.

The state medical examiner's conclusions bring the police investigation into the death to a close, Howard said.

The 42-year-old actor died at a Provo hospital two days after his fall. He was taken off life support after suffering a brain hemorrhage.

An e-mail message sent to a spokeswoman for Coleman's former wife, Shannon Price, who made the decision to remove him from life support, was not immediately returned late Wednesday.

Coleman became a star after "Diff'rent Strokes" debuted in 1978. For eight seasons, Coleman played Arnold Jackson, the younger one of a pair of African-American brothers adopted by a wealthy white man. The tiny 10-year-old's "Whachu talkin' 'bout?" became a popular catch phrase from the show.

Coleman's adult life was plagued with heath and legal problems.

He moved to Utah in fall 2005, and according to a tally in early 2010, officers had been called to assist or intervene with Coleman more than 20 times. In one instance, Coleman called police for help after he claimed he had taken dozens of pain killers and "wanted to die."

Some of the disputes involved Price, whom he met on the set of the 2006 "Church Ball" and married in 2007. The couple divorced a year later but continued to live together and present themselves as married in public.

Price has petitioned the Utah courts to recognize her common law relationship with Coleman from the date of their divorce through his May 28 death. She is seeking the recognition as part of an ongoing legal battle over Coleman's estate, which includes the house in Santaquin, about 65 miles south of Salt Lake City.

Coleman, who was cremated weeks after his death, left multiple wills, although a note handwritten by Coleman days after his 2007 marriage names Price his sole heir.

Coleman's ex-girlfriend Anna Gray contends a 2005 document awards her the estate.

2010 AOL LLC. All Rights Reserved. Copyright 2010 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. Active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.

Tags: Gary Coleman

Comments

(23)

Thursday 07 October

By shju1

Lowest Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

Some of the disputes involved Price, whom he met on the set of the 2006 "Church Ball" and married in 2007. The couple divorced a year later but continued to live together and present themselves as married in public.I love this , So does My boyfriend .he is almost 11year older than me .i met him via age'lessmate.c'om a nice place for seeking age le ss love.which gives you a chance to make your life better and open opportunities for you to meet the attractive young girls and treat you like a king. Maybe you wanna check it out or tell your friends..

By Nico Toscani

Highest Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

If you mean she killed him on accident, I believe it.

By MotorCityMama

Vote down Vote up Report this

Nico, I believe the phrase is killed him "by" accident not on accident. You weren't there so you don't know what happened. Mommy is calling. You didn't pick up your toys.

Ladies and gentleman, I give you my third grade grammar teacher...

By JEB BUCKINGHAM

Shannon Price is a gold digger and should get absolutely NOTHING,zip, zilch.

By David

Estate? What estate? He was working as a secutity guard! You must be joking ... Gary was always a very sad example of people in show business who are used and abused and then thrown away. So sad.

By Mary

There is so much more to this story than is being reported here. Typical media!! Why don't you tell the whole story?

By Carol Ziegler

Mary, I agree with you but perhaps we are part of the problem. Good reporting takes willingness by the reader to actually read and the ability of more print publcations and
other sourceas to hire real journalists. This kind of story in being as it about a person in the entertainment field is nothing new. Are those ridiculous tabloid magazines where you are? What concerns me is that "junk news"now speads and spreads into important areas of American life and we seem to have lost the ability generally to distinguish between real journalism and the unreliable kind.

By Donna

I am happpy Price didnt get anything from Gary.
I never thought she pushed Gary, but her ignorance didnt help him either. Waiting at the top of the stairs, while Gary had fallen to the bottom of the stairs, was just selfish. Because she said she had a fever, she couldnt help him?
That was definatly the most ignorant, selfish, stupid, cruel thing anyone can do to someone whos hurt.
I was glad back then to hear that Anna was granted Gary's estate.

By rose

The settlement of Gary Coleman's estate has not been settled yet. You may have a condition known as dyslexia.

By Corinne

First of all you DON'T allow the EX-WIFE to pull the plug!!!!! That should have been left up to his family or a close friend. All I see in this article is a bunch of hate and disrespect for Gary. Rest in Peace Gary...too bad we didnt know each other. I would have been a REAL friend to you. See you on the other side someday. I have a strong feeling you were murdered no matter what they say.

By kevin

whatyoutalkinaboutwillis

By tnt

High Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

Wow, never heard that one before.

By Lori

GOD ONLY KNOWS!!!! When Price meets her maker, she will have to
answer to what she did or didn't do. We all will have to give an account.

By Thor

There is no maker..JUST EVOLUTION...

By Trude

Just sad no matter how you look at it.

By Karla

Who the hell cares? After they pay off his debt there can't possibly be much left!!! He was a broke and broken actor who was working as a security guard. I have a friend who is a security guard, nothing wrong with the job but I guarantee you no one will be fighting over an "estate"!!!

By tom78glide

i think the gooch did it.......oh well he is with abraham the goldfish, kimberley and mrs. garrett

By joe

Who cares, he's gone, that's all that matters. no one cares.

By 2day

to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord ... the question is when Jesus sees you ... and he will ... will he say, "Well done good and faithful servant, enter in to my rest" or will he say ... "Away from me ... I never knew you"

Page 1 of 2