Michael K. Williams died of “acute intoxication” from the combined effects of several drugs, including fentanyl, heroin, p-fluorofentanyl, and cocaine, according to a report from the New York City Office of Chief Medical Examiner. The manner of death was ruled an accident.
Williams was found dead on September 6th at his home in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn. He was 54.
Prior to his death, Williams had been open about his longtime struggles with addiction, with a 2017 New York Times profile noting that he developed a drug problem as a teenager and was frequently visiting clinics by 19. In his acting career, too, Williams often found himself playing characters that forced him to tap into past traumas and often sent him back into the throes of addiction.
“The characters that mean the most to me are the ones that damn near kill me,” he told The Times. “It’s a sacrifice I’ve chosen to make.”