Coroner: Heroin, alcohol killed Cory Monteith

CEBU, Philippines - The British Columbia coroner confirms in its report that Glee actor  Cory Monteith died of a mixed drug toxicity, involving heroin and alcohol.

“It should be noted that at this point there is no evidence to suggest Mr. Monteith’s death was anything other than a most-tragic accident,” the report, released Tuesday afternoon, continued.

“There were indications in the room that this was a drug overdose,” Vancouver Police Department media relations officer Brian Montague revealed during a press briefing Tuesday afternoon. “We’re not providing exactly what we found at the scene. Anything that was found at the scene would be evidence.”

The 31-year-old was found dead at the Fairmont Pacific Rim hotel in Vancouver on Saturday after checking in there on July 6. Police expedited Monteith’s autopsy and toxicology report Monday and said from the start that they suspected no foul play.

During the briefing, Montague said that Monteith had been out with three people, a man and two women, the night before he died and that police had spoken with all three of his associates, who were “cooperative.”

In April, Monteith had voluntarily checked himself into rehab to deal with substance-abuse issues, which he acknowledged struggling with since his teenage years.

In the last year of his life, Monteith had found romance with his Glee co-star Lea Michele, 26, and the couple were last photographed together on June 20 as they made their way through an airport.

Michele’s reps issued a statement to USA Today Tuesday on the 26-year-old star’s behalf: “Lea is deeply grateful for all the love and support she’s received from family, friends, and fans. Since Cory’s passing, Lea has been grieving alongside his family and making appropriate arrangements with them. ... They are supporting each other as they endure this profound loss together. We continue to ask the media to respect the privacy of Lea and Cory’s family.”

Monteith’s Glee co-stars and friends throughout Hollywood took to Twitter and other social media outlets Sunday to remember the late star. Fox also issued a statement about the actor’s death: “We are deeply saddened by this tragic news. Cory was an exceptional talent and an even more exceptional person. He was a true joy to work with, and we will all miss him tremendously. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and loved ones.”

20th Century Fox Television, which produces Glee, declined to comment on Tuesday’s coroner’s report.

Production on the Fox musical comedy is set to resume at the end of the month, but now the network faces several challenges, including how to handle Monteith’s character Finn. (FREEMAN)