As seen in a copy of Jimmy "The Rev" Sullivan's autopsy from AutopsyFiles.org, the Avenged Sevenfold drummer died of "acute polydrug intoxication," with the manner of death stated as accidental. Per Rolling Stone, this was the same kind of accidental drug overdose that killed actor Heath Ledger almost two years before The Rev's passing.
According to the document, Sullivan had several substances in his system at the time of his passing, including oxycodone, oxymorphone, diazepam/nordiazepam, and ethanol. The first two drugs are both classified as painkillers, diazepam and nordiazepam are anxiety medications, and ethanol, as further noted by Rolling Stone, is the agent that causes intoxication when drinking alcoholic beverages.
The confirmation of a drug overdose contradicted the initial statement from a Huntington Beach police officer that suggested the musician died of natural causes, though as OC Weekly pointed out, rumors soon began to swirl that there was heavy drug use involved. Sadly, Sullivan's autopsy only confirmed that those rumors were indeed accurate. There were, however, no signs of foul play when law enforcement officers arrived at his home on the day of his death.
The autopsy also showed that Sullivan had some health risks that might have put him at a greater danger of accidental death. These included an enlarged heart and liver, with the former specifically cited by Orange County Deputy Coroner Mitchell Sigal as a "significant condition."
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