Thomas Kinkade Died of Alcohol, Drug Overdose, Autopsy Reveals

A Santa Clara County Medical Examiner's Office autopsy has revealed that the late American painter Thomas Kinkade died on April 6 of an accidental overdose of alcohol and prescription tranquilizers.

Bay Area News reported Monday that the coroner has determined that Kinkade, 54, stopped breathing at his Monte Sereno home from a combination of alcohol and Valium.

According to the autopsy report, signed by Dr. Joseph P. O'Hara, the county's lead medical examiner, the cause of death was "acute ethanol and Diazepam intoxication." The report also noted under "other significant conditions" hypertensive and atherosclerotic heart disease.

As to the manner of death, the report concluded it was an accident.

The fact that Kinkade was an alcoholic has been revealed to other media sources by Patrick Kinkade, the late painter's brother.

Thomas Kinkade Trust spokeswoman Marcia Horowitz said the painter's family is sorting through a number of different issues and has not had an opportunity to fully review the May 2 autopsy results and would comment later.