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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Family: Tom Petty died of accidental drug overdose

In this Sunday, Feb. 3, 2008 file photo, Tom Petty, of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, performs during halftime of the Super Bowl XLII football game between the New York Giants and the New England Patriots in Glendale, Ariz. Tom Petty’s family says his death last year was due to an accidental drug overdose. His wife and daughter released the results of Petty’s autopsy via a statement on his Facebook page Friday night, Jan. 19, 2018. (David J. Phillip / Associated Press)
Associated Press

NEW YORK – Tom Petty’s family says his death last year was due to an accidental drug overdose.

His wife and daughter released the results of Petty’s autopsy via a statement on his Facebook page Friday night. Dana and Adria Petty say they got the results from the coroner’s office earlier in the day that the overdose was caused due to a variety of medications.

The statement was posted moments before the Los Angeles coroner’s office issued its official findings, which confirmed that Petty had a variety of medications, including fentanyl and oxycodone in his system.

They say Petty suffered from emphysema, a fractured hip and knee problems that caused him pain but he was still committed to touring.

He had just wrapped up a tour a few days before he died in October at age 66.