Chester Bennington had minimal amounts of alcohol in his system before he took his own life, according to autopsy and toxicology results obtained by Us Weekly on Tuesday, December 5.
Based on one test, the 41-year-old’s blood also tested “presumptive positive” for ecstasy and two additional tests did not detect the drug. Authorities ultimately concluded that the singer was not under the influence of drugs at the time of his death.
The autopsy report also states that authorities found a prescription bottle of Zolpidem, a generic Ambien, on Bennington’s dresser, in addition to a pint glass of Corona and an empty bottle of Stella Artois. Police also found fingernail fragments underneath the Linkin Park frontman’s iPhone and on a bedside table, which his widowed wife, Talinda Bennington, told officials was something he’d do when he was anxious.
According to the report, Talinda also told authorities that, although her late husband had been prescribed anti-depressants in the past, he hadn’t taken them for more than a year. It also states that he hanged himself in an upstairs bedroom in his home using a black leather belt.
As previously reported, the “In the End” singer tragically ended his own life in July. TMZ reported in October that almost the entirety of his estate will be passed down to Talinda and his children, three of whom he shared with her and three from previous marriages. In his will, Bennington detailed his desire for all of his kids to keep in touch and be close even after his passing, and in order to ensure this, he set aside funds to cover travel expenses for when they visit each other.
“I request that my children’s mothers or guardians encourage and allow my children to visit with one another and with my extended family and the extended family of my spouse on a regular and ongoing basis, so that my children know that they have a large and loving family,” he wrote.
The Grammy winner was laid to rest in a private funeral service at the South Coast Botanic Garden in Palos Verdes, California, nine days after he died by suicide.
If you or anyone you know is experiencing suicidal thoughts, call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 1-800-273-8255 to be connected to a local crisis center for confidential emotional support.
