Heath Ledger Updates

POLICE FIND ROLLED-UP $20 BILL IN LEDGER’S APARTMENT

Police investigating the death of actor HEATH LEDGER have found a rolled-up $20 bill in his apartment, suggesting the late actor was a hard drug user.

The Brokeback Mountain star, 28, was found dead in the bedroom of his New York home on Tuesday (22Jan08) afternoon.

The $20 bill will now be tested by scientists, although police said no drug residue was visible on it and refused to comment on speculation that the bill was used to snort cocaine.

An autopsy carried out on Wednesday (23Jan08) failed to reveal how Ledger died, although police believe his death is drug-related as sleeping pills were found strewn around his apartment. No illegal drugs were found.

Officials will now have to wait for the results of a series of toxicology tests which may hold further clues into what caused the 28-year-old’s death. A spokesman for the medical examiner assigned to the case insists it may take up to 10 days to conclude their investigation.

Meanwhile, Australian Ledger’s body has been released to a New York funeral home.

(GES/WNWA/KL)

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CLUES TO LEDGER’S MENTAL STATE IN VIDEO & FINAL INTERVIEW

An eerie video featuring HEATH LEDGER “drowning” himself is offering a few clues into the actor’s mental state.

The black and white film, which Ledger shot and screened at the Bumbershoot festival in Seattle, Washington last year (07), featured the troubled actor committing suicide to the soundtrack of tragic singer-songwriter Nick Drake’s Black Eyed Dog.

Drake’s estate now owns the footage, titled A Place To Be, which Ledger also screened at a celebration of the late singer in Los Angeles in October (07).

The short film concludes with Ledger drowning himself in a bathtub.

Black Eyed Dog is believed to be the last song Drake wrote before overdosing on anti-depressant amitriptyline.

Ledger had often spoken about his dreams of playing Drake on the big screen.

Further clues about Ledger’s mental state can be found in one of the star’s final interviews, which the actor gave to Cleveland, Ohio TV network WJW-Fox in November (07).

Asked what fatherhood to his two-year-old daughter Matilda had brought him, Ledger said, “You look at death differently… I feel good about dying now because I feel like I’m alive in her, but at the same hand (sic), you don’t wanna die because you want to be around for the rest of her life.”

Ledger was found dead in his New York apartment on Tuesday (22Jan08). An autopsy carried out on Wednesday (23Jan08) failed to reveal how the actor died, although police believe his death is drug-related as sleeping pills were found strewn around his apartment.

(KL/WN&WNV/MT)

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MODEL WARD: `LEDGER WAS CLEAN’

HEATH LEDGER started 2008 committed to sobriety after a wild end to 2007, according to the sister of his model girlfriend GEMMA WARD.

Australian stunner Sophie Ward reveals she spent Christmas (07) with the actor and admits he was one of the last people she expected to die in 2008.

In fact, Ward insists the Brokeback Mountain star was cleaner than most after committing to give up alcohol as a New Year’s resolution.

She says, “He wasn’t drinking any alcohol or taking drugs.

“He smoked cigarettes, but that’s about it. He was drinking Diet Coke when we were together and he said he was very committed to not drinking alcohol.”

And Ward is convinced drugs had nothing to do with Ledger’s death on Tuesday (22Jan08), despite reports. She’s also adamant the actor didn’t commit suicide.

She adds, “He was clean and I don’t believe he took his own life deliberately.”

But the sister of Ledger’s girlfriend admits the actor did seem on edge the last time they spoke: “He couldn’t really relax… He said he was going to London but was quite upset because he couldn’t see his daughter (Matilda) as much as he’d like to.

“He was traveling so much and I think he was just frustrated with it all.”

(KL/WNWCSY/MT)

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WILLIAMS’ FATHER PAYS TRIBUTE TO `BEAUTIFUL FLAME’ LEDGER

Actress MICHELLE WILLIAMS’ father LARRY has used poetry to describe his feelings following the death of his daughter’s tragic ex HEATH LEDGER.

Williams rushed to New York from Sweden, where she’s shooting a new movie, upon hearing the news of her former fiance’s death on Tuesday (22Jan08).

The actress is said to be “devastated” and now her father is speaking out about the man who was his granddaughter Matilda’s daddy.

In a statement released on Wednesday (23Jan08), Larry Williams said, “I think Tennyson got it right in the poem when he described someone as having died at a young age but burning the candles at both ends, and oh what a beautiful flame he made, that was Heath.

“What a beautiful flame he made and a great talent. My heart goes out to everyone in his family and my family. The saddest thing is his daughter whom he just loved dearly.”

(KL/WNWC/MT)

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Our thoughts and prayers are with the Ledger family during this horrible time. I think we should all curl up with some hot chocolate this weekend and watch one of his movies and remember just how amazing of an actor he was. I personally plan on watching ’10 Things’. He was simply adorable and charming in that film.

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