Nearly one year after Ray Liotta’s unexpected death in the Dominican Republic, his cause of death has been released.
According to documents obtained by TMZ, the 67-year-old actor died from heart and respiratory issues. Specific causes of death list pulmonary edema — fluid in the lungs, respiratory insufficiency and acute heart failure. The report also noted atherosclerosis, a buildup of fats, cholesterol and other substances in and on the artery walls, as an underlying issue.
Liotta, best known for “Goodfellas,” “Cop Land” and “Narc,” died in his sleep last May in the Dominican Republic while shooting “Dangerous Waters”. The actor had recently starred as twin brothers in the “Sopranos” prequel “The Many Saints of Newark” while appearing in Steven Soderbergh’s “No Sudden Move.” He had recently appeared in Elizabeth Banks’ “Cocaine Bear,” which debuted this past February and earned decent reviews and $89.2 million worldwide.
From his breakout turn in Jonathan Demme’s “Something Wild” in 1986 to his comic turn in Adam Sandler’s “Hubie Halloween” in 2020, Liotta had a long and varied career as a character actor and periodic leading man, featuring in “Field of Dreams,” “Hannibal,” “Observe and Report” and the acclaimed and Oscar-winning “A Marriage Story.” He also appeared in “Muppets in Space” and voiced himself in DreamWorks’ “Bee Movie” while boasting a television resume that extended from 1977 to just last year.
