Buffy the Vampire Slayer alum Nicholas Brendon was found dead in his Indiana home by a friend who was caring for the ailing actor.
Putnam County Coroner Todd Zeiner released a statement to Page Six on Wednesday providing details about Brendon, who tragically passed away on March 20th at the age of 54.
Brendon “lived alone and was found by a long-time friend who was staying overnight to care for him,” Zayner said.
The friend’s identity has not been disclosed.
When Zeyner arrived at the scene after Brendon had already been declared dead by medical personnel, he found Brendon in a “sleeping-like position.”
The coroner added that evidence at the scene “indicated that the time of death was very recent.”
Zayner also acknowledged that there were “no signs of foul play” in Brendon’s death and that “there was nothing at the scene to indicate anything other than natural causes.”
Brendon’s body was taken for a post-mortem examination and his family “visually identified him”.
Toxicology and final results are pending. The final cause and cause of death will be announced once all investigation results are complete.
Brendon’s family broke the news of his death on Friday.
“We are heartbroken to learn of the passing of our brother and son, Nicholas Brendon. He passed away in his sleep from natural causes,” the family said in a statement on Instagram.
The statement said Brendon “had a history of illness” and was “undergoing medication and treatment to manage his diagnosis” at the time of his death.
Brendon’s family also asked for privacy, saying, “We mourn his death and honor the life of a man who lived with strength, imagination, and heart.”
Brendon ended his seven-season run as Xander Harris on Buffy the Vampire Slayer in 2003 before entering rehab for alcohol problems.
He was charged with resisting arrest, assaulting a police officer, and criminal damage to property and was re-admitted to a treatment facility in 2009, but after pleading no contest he was sentenced to community service and probation.
Brendon’s serious legal issues and medical treatment continued over the next few years, resulting in him appearing twice on Dr. Phil in August 2015 and November 2015.
During his first sit-down with a TV therapist, he dramatically walked off the set.
“I’m the first to admit that I’ve made a lot of mistakes. I’ve hurt the people I love who care about me,” he wrote via Facebook at the time, adding that during the interview, “I felt like Dr. Phil spoke to me about some of my recent mistakes without any build-up and told me right in the jugular.”
More than five years before his death, Brendon was arrested in Indiana in August 2021 for allegedly using false information to obtain prescription drugs and charged with a felony count of prescription fraud.
The following month, Brendon’s representatives revealed that Brendon had “deep-seated medical issues and extreme pain” and suffered “genital paralysis” and leg problems after sleeping on concrete in prison.
According to a post on his Instagram account that has since been deleted, Brendon was hospitalized for a “heart attack” in 2022.
“Nicki is doing well now, but about two weeks ago she had a heart attack (tachycardia/arrhythmia) and had to be rushed to the hospital,” the post reads.
In addition to “Buffy,” Brendon appeared on “Criminal Minds,” “Private Practice,” “Married with Children,” and “Kitchen Confidential.”
His films include “Psycho Beach Party,” “Coherence,” and “The Nanny.” His most recent role was in 2021’s “Wanton Want.”
