Brittany Murphy made it big in Hollywood when she starred in the 1995 cult classic
"Clueless." It seemed inevitable that she would become a bonafide star as she later
starred in popular films including "8 Mile," "Girl Interrupted," and "Uptown Girl." By 2009, though,
Murphy's career had hit a dead-end, supposedly due to rumors of drug use and tardiness. According to
Biography, Murphy was also a caretaker for her mother Sharon and husband Simon Monjack,
who both had health issues. They all lived together in a Los Angeles mansion previously
owned by Britney Spears, and Murphy began to star in low-budget films to pay the bills.
In November of 2009, Murphy, Monjack, and her mother went to Puerto Rico so she could shoot
one of these low-budget projects. During their stay, her husband and mother ended up sick with
Staphylococcus. By the time they returned home, Murphy had also caught the same illness. She was
sick for six weeks but refused to get medical attention, a major factor that would later be
relayed countless times as news of her death came to light. On December 20, 2009, Murphy collapsed
in her bedroom. She was rushed to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, but it was too late. Murphy was
only 32, leaving Hollywood and her fans reeling while they searched for answers. Over a decade
later, Murphy's death remains unsettling, and her mother refuses to speak publicly about her death.
The Los Angeles County coroner later found Brittney Murphy's death to be the result
of pneumonia, anemia, and a drug overdose from both prescription and over-the-counter medication.
No illegal drugs were found in her system. Her autopsy also found that although she had diabetes,
she was otherwise in good health. On the day she died, she had taken an anti-seizure medication,
an antidepressant, an inflammatory drug, beta-blockers, cough medicine, nasal spray,
and something for her menstrual pain. It was also concluded that her menstrual cycle had
caused the onset of anemia. In addition, an article from The Mirror states that
her red blood count was far too low, leaving her vulnerable to infection.
On the days leading to her death, she had trouble breathing, her lungs were filling with liquid,
and her lips were turning blue. The coroner concluded that if Murphy had gone to the doctor,
her death could have been prevented. In other words, Murphy's death was ruled completely
accidental. It was said that Murphy and Simon Monjack had become increasingly
paranoid of the paparazzi and did not seek medical attention for fear of inciting media attention.
Two days before her death, Murphy finally scheduled a doctor's appointment,
but she never made it. Per USA Today, family and friends of Murphy and Monjack
believe that although her husband didn't kill her, he did directly contribute to her death.
"I woke up the morning after my wife died and there was a thing saying 'murderer.'"
"Calling you a murderer?"
"Yeah, saying that I murdered my wife."
Shockingly, Simon Monjack died from pneumonia and anemia five months later on May 23, 2010, in
the same bedroom as Murphy. Unsurprisingly, their near-identical deaths led to even more questions.
Several theories have arisen about the cause of their deaths, including toxic
mold and murder. Murphy's own father believed she was poisoned, although this has never been proven.
Ultimately, those who knew the couple blame Monjack for Murphy's demise
by possibly withholding medical attention until it was too late.
According to USA Today, Monjack was incredibly controlling. He would drive Murphy to work,
take up all of her free time, and eventually began to isolate her. No one could contact her directly.
Disturbingly, a director from one of Murphy's last films stated that she did not have direct access
to her email address or phone. It appears that Monjack wanted complete dominance over Murphy,
and rumors began to swirl that his presence made Murphy incredibly difficult to work with.
Unsurprisingly, many have blamed Monjack for Murphy's inability to seek appropriate
medical attention in time to save her life. Whether or not that's true will likely never be
definitively proven, but those who knew Murphy and Monjack have drawn their own conclusions.
If you or someone you know is dealing with domestic abuse,
you can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1−800−799−7233.
You can also find more information, resources, and support at their website.