Report: Drugs Found In John Heard When He Died In Palo Alto

The death of “Home Alone” actor John Heard in a Palo Alto hotel room in July was officially attributed to a heart attack, the Santa Clara County coroner’s officer ruled last summer.

But a new toxicology report, obtained by TMZ, shows that the 71-year-old actor also had “a pharmacy” of drugs in his system when he was found July 21 in a guest room at an unnamed Palo Alto hotel.

The report said that the actor had ingested the following drugs sometime before his death: The opioids Tramadol, Oxycodone, Oxymorphone, Buprenorphine, Fentanyl and Hydromorphone. He had also taken Xanax, the trade name for alprazolam, which belongs to the class of drugs known benzodiazepines and which are used to treat anxiety.

As was reported at the time of Heard’s death, he had minor back surgery two days before at Stanford Medical Center. He had checked into the hotel near the medical center to recover from his surgery.

TMZ pointed out Monday that some of the drugs in his system are commonly used to alleviate pain. But the website added that the toxicology report seems to indicate that there was an attempt to revive Heard with Narcan, a drug used to counteract the effects of narcotics overdoses.

Family sources told TMZ he was found by his housekeeping service, and police responded to the hotel after receiving a report of a medical emergency.

Despite the drugs found in Heard’s system, the coroner’s office ruled in August that his death was the result of sudden cardiac arrest “due to atherosclerotic and hypertensive heart disease.”

The coroner added that Heard’s back surgery at Stanford Medical Center “did not play a role in his death.” The coroner added “the manner of death is natural.”

In his final interview, taped three days before his death, the veteran actor of screen, stage and TV was cheerful and self-deprecating in sharing stories about his nearly five-decade career, appearing in the “Home Alone” movies and “The Sopranos.”

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• John Heard’s final interview: He wanted back surgery done so he could get back to work
• ‘Home Alone’ actor John Heard found dead in Palo Alto hotel room

During an off-mic chat with his interviewer, actress Illeana Douglas for her “I Blame Dennis Hopper” podcast, Heard also revealed he was “optimistic” about the future and looking forward to getting through back surgery at Stanford Medical Center. He wanted to get on with his recovery and return to work.