No drugs, says Murphy's hubby

2009-12-22 22:24

Los Angeles - The husband of Brittany Murphy denied his wife died from a drug overdose on Tuesday as a report said an array of prescription medication was found at the home the couple shared.

Screenwriter Simon Monjack told People magazine in an extensive interview that his wife had been ill for several days before her death, shooting down suggestions that drugs were responsible for her demise.

Asked by People if a drug overdose was a possible cause of the 32-year-old's sudden death, Monjack told the magazine: "I can get rid of that one right now."

"She was tired and a little sad because she was sick," Monjack said as he described the final night of Murhpy's life.

He said the couple had spent Saturday night watching movies at their home in the Hollywood Hills. Murphy died early on Sunday from an apparent cardiac arrest.

Family upset

"She wore her pink Beverly Hills Hotel robe and monkey pyjamas. We saw It's Complicated, Public Enemies and The Princess and the Frog."

Monjack said he and Murphy's family had been upset by the wave of speculation following her death.

"It's horrible - the death of a beautiful young woman, a Hollywood icon; it has to be explained. It just can't be a tragic accident," he said.

"We don't want to accept that a beautiful young wife and daughter woke up one morning and died a tragic death."

An autopsy on the star Murphy was carried out Monday, but coroners said it would be several weeks before an exact cause of death was pinpointed as officials awaited the results of toxicology tests.

Meanwhile TMZ.com, the entertainment website which broke the news of Michael Jackson's death earlier this year, reported that multiple prescription drugs were found at Murphy's home on Sunday.

The website cited notes made by an investigator from the Los Angeles County Coroner's office as the source of the information.

Prescription medication

According to the notes, a check of nightstands at Murphy's home "revealed large amounts of prescription medication in the decedent's name".

"Also noted were numerous empty prescription medication bottles in the decedent's husband's name, the decedent's mother's name and unidentified third party names," the notes revealed according to TMZ.

The medications included painkillers, anti-depressants and anti-anxiety drugs, the report said.

"No alcohol containers, paraphernalia or illegal drugs were discovered," the notes added.

- AFP