RIP: Heath Ledger, April 4, 1979 - January 22, 2008

Tue, 22 January 2008 22:02:06 ET

The Oscar-nominated actor was pronounced DOA at the scene by the police after he was found unconscious in his room at a Manhattan apartment Tuesday afternoon (Jan. 22).

Hollywood again loses one of its young stars as Heath Ledger was shockingly discovered dead on Tuesday afternoon (Jan. 22) in an apartment at 421 Broome Street, between Crosby and Lafayette Streets in SoHo, Manhattan.

The Perth-born actor was found lying naked and unconscious on a bed around 3:35 P.M. with sleeping pills, both prescription medication and nonprescription, on a night table.

According to the New York City police, as reported by the New York Times, Ledger on that day had an appointment with a masseuse, who arrived at 3:31 P.M. and was let into the home by a housekeeper. The latter then knocked on the door of Ledger's bedroom, but as no answer came, the two then opened the room and found the 28-year-old on the bed, face down.

Call to the authorities was immediately made after Ledger did not give any response when the housekeeper and masseuse attempted to revive him. He, however, was finally pronounced DOA at the scene by the police with signs pointing to a suicide or an accidental overdose.

Ledger's body was brought out of the building in a black body bag on a stretcher around 6:30 P.M.. Ellen Borakove, a spokeswoman for the office of the city's chief medical examiner Dr. Charles S. Hirsch, said that an autopsy would be conducted on Wednesday, January 23, 2008.

"We are all deeply saddened and shocked by this accident," Ledger's publicist Mara Buxbaum said in a statement Tuesday night. "This is an extremely difficult time for his loved ones and we are asking the media to please respect the family's privacy and avoid speculation until the facts are known."

Following news of Ledger's death, a number of Australia-born celebrities were noted to offer their condolences, including Nicole Kidman and Mel Gibson, who played his father in Roland Emmerich's 2000 effort "The Patriot." Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd also led tributes to the "Brokeback Mountain" star.

"It is tragic that we have lost one of our nation's finest actors in the prime of his life," Rudd said in a statement. "Heath Ledger's diverse and challenging roles will be remembered as some of the great performances by an Australian actor."

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