Brittany Murphy Autopsy Results Weeks Away

The Brittany Murphy autopsy is finished, but the questions about her death aren't. Brittany Murphy's autopsy results won't come out for weeks, so no answers will really come until then. Tabloids and followers are used to long waits from the Los Angeles Coroner's Office, after the Michael Jackson ordeal. There isn't so much of a mad rush around the Brittany Murphy autopsy, but the wild theories are still prevalent.

For the last two days, gossipers have guessed that Murphy died from drugs, or an illness, or from some other complications. Since Simon Monjack wanted to block an autopsy on Murphy, he had come under suspicion. But against his wishes, the LA coroners completed their task yesterday, and will take over a month to post all their findings.

For the moment, the results rule out foul play, and only say that she died of 'natural causes.' The coroners conclude that she died of a cardiac arrest, but it will take a while to find out what caused it. Her toxicology results, and what was in her system when she died, will obviously have major clues.

When the Brittany Murphy autopsy results are made public, fans hope to find out if drugs, heart problems, or something else killed her. There have been wild reports over how thin she was in the weeks before her death, and about what prescription drugs she might have taken. TMZ reported that at least 11 prescriptions were found in her house on Sunday.

With reports like that, Murphy's death may be reminiscent of how Michael Jackson, Heath Ledger and Anna Nicole Smith died from prescription pills. Pathologist Dr. Cyril Wecht made that connection to CBS's Early Show this morning, predicting that "acute combined drug toxicity" killed Murphy.

Why would she need so many prescriptions? Popular theories range from anorexia, to some kind of heart problem. TMZ also alleged that Murphy complained "shortness of breath" and "severe abdominal pain" in her final days.

But of course, nothing can really be confirmed until the autopsy results come back, likely in late January or early February. By then, the hysteria over her death should fade away - and there'll likely be one or two more big deaths to capture everyone's attention.

Once everyone figures out why she died, she may be yesterday's news in today's tabloid age. By then, perhaps her career and her life will be how Brittany Murphy is remembered, and not how they both came to an end.

Sources

TMZ- "Brittany Murphy - Frantic Rescue Effort"

The Press Association- "Murphy 'died of natural causes'"

CBS News- "M.D.: Had to Be Drugs that Killed Murphy"