The 63-year-old Williams, whose body was found on Aug. 11 by
a personal assistant at his home in Tiburon in the San Francisco
Bay area, died of asphyxia due to hanging, the Marin County
Sheriff's Office said in a statement. That was the same finding
sheriff's officials made in their preliminary conclusion.
Williams was suffering from the early stages of Parkinson's
disease and from severe depression, his widow, Susan Schneider,
said soon after his death. He had not been ready to share his
diagnosis with the public, she said.
A toxicology test on Williams' body revealed the absence of
alcohol or illicit drugs in his system, and prescription
medications were detected in concentrations consistent with
their use for therapeutic purposes, the statement from the Marin
County Sheriff's Office said on Friday.
Williams, who was one of the world's most famous stand-up
comedians, earned an Oscar for his role in the 1997 drama "Good
Will Hunting." He also starred in the comedies "Good Morning,
Vietnam," "Mrs. Doubtfire" and "Night at the Museum."
(Reporting by Alex Dobuzinskis in Los Angeles,; Editing by
Cynthia Johnston and Sandra Maler)
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