Nearly four years on, the debate over Brittany Murphy's tragic, shocking death continues. Earlier this month, Angelo Bertolutti — said to be the Clueless star's estranged biological father — suggested that Murphy may potentially have been a victim of poisoning when she passed away on Dec. 20, 2009 at age 33, presenting supposed lab results to support his theory. Now, the actress' mother, Sharon Murphy, has broken her silence to refute Bertolutti's claims.
"I have chosen to stay out of the limelight since the tragic and sudden death of my wonderful, talented, loving daughter," Sharon tells the Hollywood Reporter in a published essay open letter. "I have no choice now but to come forward in the face of inexcusable efforts to smear my daughter's memory by a man who may be her biological father, but was never a real father to her in her lifetime." Calling Bertolutti's murder claims "madness," Sharon notes that Bertolutti spent time in prison, and was estranged from Brittany for much of her life.
She also scrutinizes the laboratory findings Bertolutti cites in his murder claims. "It mentioned rat poison as a possible cause and claimed to be able to say that a third party murdered my beloved daughter . . .This report conveniently ignores what any good scientist will tell you: A hair sample can be affected by many outside factors, including hair dye, hair spray, prescription medications, foods, smoking the occasional cigarette and environmental factors," she writes. "One cause we now know may have been toxic mold that was eventually discovered in that house — which may have been what really killed her."
"We will never know for sure," Sharon writes. "However, we do know the Los Angeles County Coroner did extensive tests and found that she died of natural causes. And now she is a real living angel in heaven."
Sharon also slams Julia Davis, whom she calls Bertollutti's "collaborator." "This whole stunt is merely publicity to fuel their aspirations," she says. "The time has come for their false statements to be exposed and rebuked."
