It’s been two weeks since the music world was stunned by the sudden death of Chris Cornell, the pioneering singer/songwriter whose inimitable vocal stylings helped Soundgarden and Audioslave rise to the top of the charts.
Just hours after his body was found, medical examiners in Wayne County, Michigan ruled Cornell’s death a suicide.
Cornell’s widow, Vicky Karayiannis, and others close to the musician expressed doubts about the coroner’s findings.
Karayiannis maintained that drugs played a role in Cornell’s death, a theory that shocked fans, as the singer had been sober for nearly 15 years prior to hsi passing.
Nevertheless, Karyiannis issued a statement expressing her belief that the results of a pending toxicology report would corroborate her beliefs.
Today, TMZ obtained the results of that report, and it seems that Karayiannis was correct in her assertion that Cornell was under the influence at the time of his passing.
The coroner who examined Cornell’s body confirmed that the following drugs were found in his system:
Naloxone (Narcan), Butalbital (sedative), Lorazepam (Ativan), Pseudoephedrine (decongestant), and unspecified barbiturates.
Witnesses claimed to have seen puncture marks on Cornell’s arms, but it appears those were the result of Narcan injections made by paramedics in an effort to save the 52-year-old’s life.
Shortly after her husband’s death, Karayiannis stated that she knew Cornell was intoxicated just from speaking with him on the phone.
She asked the singer’s bodyguard, who was staying in the same Detroit hotel, to check on Cornell, but tragically, it was too late.
An apparently drug-addled Cornell had hung himself in his room with an exercise belt.
Karayiannis issued the following statement in response to today’s findings:
“Many of us who know Chris well, noticed that he wasn’t himself during his final hours and that something was very off. We have learned from this report that several substances were found in his system.
“After so many years of sobriety, this moment of terrible judgment seems to have completely impaired and altered his state of mind.
“Something clearly went terribly wrong and my children and I are heartbroken and are devastated that this moment can never be taken back.”
She concluded:
“We very much appreciate all of the love we have received during this extremely difficult time and are dedicated to helping others in preventing this type of tragedy.”
Our thoughts go out to Cornell’s widow and children during this tremendously difficult time.
