Brittany Murphy’s husband is found dead

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The husband of Brittany Murphy was found dead at his Los Angeles home late Sunday, five months after the Hollywood actress died, police said.

The preliminary cause of the death of British screenwriter Simon Monjack is natural causes, police spokesman Sgt. Louie Lozano told the Associated Press.

“We concluded there no signs of foul play or any criminal activity involved,” said Sgt. Alex Ortiz, another police spokesman.

Firefighters responding to an emergency call from a woman at 9:40 p.m. found the 39-year-old Mr. Monjack dead at the Hollywood Hills residence, police spokesman Sgt. Louie Lozano said. Sgt. Ortiz said he didn’t know who called. Mr. Monjack and Ms. Murphy had shared their home with Ms. Murphy’s mother, Sharon.

Sgt. Ortiz said that the Los Angeles Coroner’s Office was taking over the investigation because criminal activity had been ruled out, and would provide more details later on the death and circumstances surrounding it.

At his wife’s funeral in December, a visibly emotional Mr. Monjack talked about their relationship and called her his best friend and soul mate. The two married in 2007.

He had said that they had been planning a family and contemplating a move to New York.

Ms. Murphy, best known for her major roles in “Clueless,” ”Girl Interrupted,” and “8 Mile” in 2002, died Dec. 20, at age 32 after collapsing in her home. The Los Angeles County coroner’s office concluded Ms. Murphy’s death was accidental, but likely preventable.

The coroner’s report said that the medications found in her system were consistent with treatment of a cold or respiratory infection. Mr. Monjack and Ms. Murphy’s mother had reported the actress was ill with flulike symptoms in the days before her death.

An autopsy found no evidence that Ms. Murphy abused drugs. Investigators had found numerous prescription medications in her home.