cover 32
Seventeen years have gone by since Heath Ledger was found unresponsive in his Manhattan loft by his housekeeper and massage therapist, yet the mystery surrounding his death and the source of the deadly pill cocktail remains unsolved.
As the actor would have turned 46 on April 4, his ties to former child star Mary-Kate Olsen continue to cast a shadow over the investigation into his passing.
When Ledger’s housekeeper, Teresa Solomon, and massage therapist, Diana Wolozin, discovered the tragic scene at around 3 PM on January 22, 2008, Wolozin’s first call wasn’t to the police, but to Mary-Kate Olsen.
At the time, Olsen, 21, was in Los Angeles. After receiving the call, she immediately enlisted her private security team to head to Ledger’s apartment.
It wasn’t until after contacting Olsen that Wolozin finally called 911, informing the operator that the 28-year-old Dark Knight star was “not breathing.”
Autopsy results revealed that the cause of Heath Ledger’s death was “acute intoxication by the combined effects of oxycodone, hydrocodone, diazepam, temazepam, alprazolam, and doxylamine.” The Office of Chief Medical Examiner of the City of New York concluded that the manner of death was accidental, resulting from the abuse of prescribed medications.
Due to the fact that Olsen was contacted by Ledger’s staff before authorities were notified, investigators sought to question her as part of their probe. However, she mysteriously refused to cooperate.
On two separate occasions, Mary-Kate Olsen told Drug Enforcement Administration officers that she would only speak about Heath Ledger’s death if she was granted immunity from future prosecution, according to a report from The Independent at the time.
Her attorney, Michael C. Miller, also refused to allow access to his client without an immunity guarantee that would protect her “constitutional rights.”
While Olsen’s delayed reaction to Wolozin’s phone call raised concerns among Ledger’s fans, Miller strongly insisted that the actress had “nothing whatsoever to do with the drugs found in Ledger’s home or his body.”
Miller further asserted that Mary-Kate Olsen had no knowledge of how Heath Ledger obtained the prescription pills. He stated, “Regarding the government’s investigation, at Ms. Olsen’s request, we have provided the government with relevant information, including facts in the chronology of events surrounding Mr. Ledger’s death and the fact that Ms. Olsen does not know the source of the drugs Mr. Ledger consumed.”
Despite Miller’s defense, rumors about Olsen’s potential involvement persisted, and she was even speculated to have been in a secret relationship with Ledger at the time of his death.
Shortly before Ledger’s funeral, Olsen issued a brief statement through her publicist, mourning the loss of her close friend. She said: “Heath was a friend. His death is a tragic loss. My thoughts are with his family.”
While Olsen declined to cooperate with investigators, Ledger’s doctors, masseuse, housekeeper, and other staff did speak with DEA officers.
