Tom Petty's Family Reveals Rocker's Cause of Death

Accidental drug overdose
By Newser Editors and Wire Services
Posted Jan 19, 2018 6:46 PM CST
Family: Tom Petty Died of Accidental Drug Overdose
In this Sunday, Feb. 3, 2008 file photo, Tom Petty performs during halftime of Super Bowl XLII.   (AP Photo/David J. Phillip, File)

Tom Petty's family says his death last year was due to an accidental drug overdose, the AP reports. His wife and daughter released the results of Petty's autopsy via a statement on his Facebook page Friday night. Dana and Adria Petty say they got the results from the coroner's office earlier in the day that the overdose was caused due to a variety of medications.

The statement was posted moments before the Los Angeles coroner's office issued its official findings, which confirmed that Petty had a variety of medications, including fentanyl and oxycodone in his system. Dana and Adria say Petty suffered from emphysema, a fractured hip, and knee problems that caused him pain but he was still committed to touring. He had just wrapped up a tour a few days before he died in October at age 66.

(More Tom Petty stories.)

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