Unexpected discoveries of a stellar autopsy (9 photos)

Autopsies have been performed for centuries to help scientists and grieving family members understand the causes of sudden deaths. Autopsy reports can sometimes reveal more about a person than anyone knew about them while they were alive. Some of the most shocking autopsies in Hollywood have revealed unknown and startling facts about celebrities.





Errol Flynn



One of the brightest stars of Hollywood's golden age, Errol Flynn made his career as an action star. He starred in such cult films as Captain Blood (1935), The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938), and The Charge of the Light Brigade (1935).

Flynn's path to fame was anything but ordinary. Born in Tasmania and finding his way to acting after years spent in the jungles of New Guinea, Flynn quickly became a Hollywood sex symbol. He threw elaborate parties, indulged in debauchery and broke almost every existing rule.

In 1959, the retired actor and alcoholic traveled to Vancouver, Canada, to sell his yacht for much-needed cash, but he soon fell ill and died of a heart attack a few days later. Doctors who examined his remains claimed that the 50-year-old actor had destroyed his body so badly with alcohol that he looked like a 75-year-old. At the same time, as it turned out, Flynn’s genitals, so famous in Hollywood, which he was sometimes publicly proud of, were reportedly covered with warts.

Prince





On April 21, 2016, Prince Rogers Nelson, better known by his stage name Prince, was found unconscious in the elevator of his Paisley Park estate. His death occurred when he was only 57 years old. Prince was a celebrated musician known for his androgynous style, incredible voice and musical style, which was influenced by a variety of musical genres, from funk to R&B and jazz.

At the time, the singer was struggling with opioid addiction. The medical examiner's report said he had an "extremely high" concentration of fentanyl - a synthetic opioid 50 times more potent than heroin - in his blood, which caused his death. Although as little as 70 micrograms of fentanyl per kilogram of body weight can be fatal, Prince had 450 micrograms of fentanyl per kilogram of body weight in his system at the time of his death.

Robin Williams



From his early work on Happy Days and Mork and Mindy to classic films like Mrs. Doubtfire and Dr. Adams, Robin Williams has always made people laugh. His sudden death shocked the world on August 11, 2014, when the 63-year-old actor was found dead of an apparent suicide in his California home.

Diagnosed shortly before his death, Parkinson's disease, a degenerative brain disease, was initially believed to be the cause of Williams' suicide. However, the medical examiner also found that Williams had a second disorder known as Lewy body dementia, a difficult-to-recognize form of dementia that causes symptoms similar to Parkinson's disease, including body tremors, memory problems and hallucinations. The disease also contributes to mood and behavior problems, but Williams' wife Susan said her husband had no emotional symptoms in the days leading up to his death. As his memory deteriorated, Williams likely realized how ill he was, adding to his devastation and depression.

Brandon Lee



Bruce Lee's son, Brandon Lee, died tragically in an accident while filming The Crow in 1994. In the film, Lee's character Eric Draven is a murdered rock star who comes back to life to take revenge on his killers. There were several accidents on set, including a story where a crew member was nearly electrocuted on the first day of filming.

Towards the end of filming, Lee filmed his character's death scene. The fake gun used to shoot Lee was supposed to be loaded with blanks, but the live round fired at it penetrated his stomach and lodged in his spine. Surgeons tried to stop the bleeding to save Lee's life, but he ultimately died on March 31, 1994 - just 17 days before he was to marry his fiancée in Mexico.

Lee was buried next to his father and thousands of people flocked to theaters to see his final role in The Crow. Brandon's death bears haunting similarities to his father's death. Bruce Lee also died suddenly while filming Enter the Dragon in 1973. After an investigation, the on-set shooting that killed Brandon Lee was ruled an accident that occurred because the actual bullet used for the close-up shot was not replaced with a blank cartridge between uses.

Carrie Fisher



Beautiful and funny, Carrie Fisher became an overnight sensation as Princess Leia in the Star Wars franchise. On December 23, 2016, Fisher suffered cardiac arrest while flying on an airplane. She was rushed to a Los Angeles hospital, where she died on December 27. The official medical examiner's report lists the cause of death as cardiac arrest due to sleep apnea, but a toxicology analysis of Fisher's body paints a different picture. The report found evidence of cocaine, methadone, ecstasy, alcohol and opiates in her system on the day she was admitted to hospital. The test results also indicated that there was a possibility of exposure to heroin, but the time of exposure could not be determined. The report concluded that cocaine was used in the 72 hours leading up to her death.

Fisher's death shocked not only the world, but also her 84-year-old mother, Hollywood legend Debbie Reynolds, who died the day after Fisher from a stroke.

Natalie Wood



In November 1981, actress Natalie Wood, along with her husband Robert Wagner and actor Christopher Walken, were traveling on a yacht near Catalina Island, California. After dinner and drinks, Wood went to bed in the cabin around 10:45 p.m. while the two men continued to chat. When Wagner entered the cabin late that evening, his wife was nowhere to be found.

After searching the yacht and discovering a rescue boat missing from the boat, the coast guard searched the surrounding waters and eventually discovered Wood's floating body. Her death shocked fans and, of course, countless conspiracy theories began to surface trying to explain how she could have drowned.

Although Wood's death was ruled an accident, it was considered suspicious by many. Her sister claimed that Natalie would never go out to sea alone on a rescue boat, as she was afraid of water and could not even swim in her own pool. The first autopsy showed Wood's blood alcohol level to be slightly high at 0.14 percent, above the legal limit. Several medications for pain and motion sickness were also found in her system. However, the medical examiner also found bruises on her body. An expert initially determined the bruises were sustained when the actress tried to climb back onto the yacht after the fall, but a re-investigation into her death found the bruises were likely sustained before the accident, with many pointing the finger at Wagner. Today, Natalie Wood's cause of death remains "undetermined."

Michael Jackson



On June 25, 2009, the King of Pop Michael Jackson was found dead in his home at the age of just 50. It was revealed that Jackson died of cardiac arrest due to an overdose of prescription drugs prescribed by his personal physician, Dr. Conrad Murray. Murray gave Michael a lethal dose of propofol, a powerful anesthetic, combined with a cocktail of other drugs already in his system, including diazepam, lidocaine, midazolam and ephedrine.

An autopsy revealed that the sole cause of Jackson's death was a nuclear cocktail of pills. A judge later found Murray guilty of manslaughter for his role in the untimely and preventable death of one of pop music's most beloved stars.

Brittany Murphy



The mysterious death of Clueless and Uptown Girls star Brittany Murphy has shocked fans and experts alike. Murphy died on December 20, 2009 from pneumonia. But how can a seemingly healthy 32-year-old woman die from such an easy-to-treat disease? The medical examiner's report later explained that Murphy's menstrual cycle caused anemia, or iron deficiency, which weakened her immune system, causing her to die from an infection.

Four years after her death, Murphy's father, Angelo Bertolotti, ordered a laboratory report that found large amounts of heavy metals in Murphy's hair. This has led some to speculate that she was poisoned. Even more suspicious was the death of Murphy's husband, screenwriter Simon Monjack, who died in similar circumstances just five months after his wife's death.

A toxicologist rejected the theory of poisoning, but it remains a mystery what led to Murphy's untimely death.