‘General Hospital’ Star Tyler Christopher’s Cause of Death Revealed

General Hospital star Tyler Christopher’s cause of death has been revealed after he died in October 2023 at the age of 50.

The actor’s cause of death was listed as positional asphyxia due to acute alcohol intoxication, according to a report from the Medical Examiner Office obtained by TMZ on Friday, January 26. Coronary artery atherosclerosis (plaque buildup in the arteries) was listed as a contributing condition.

Christopher suffocated to death due to the position he was in, which the coroner ruled was due to alcohol use. His death was ruled an accident.

News of Christopher’s death was announced by his former General Hospital costar Maurice Benard on October 31, 2023.

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“It is with great sadness that we share the news of the passing of Tyler Christopher,” Benard, 60, wrote in a statement via Instagram. “Tyler passed away this morning following a cardiac event in his San Diego apartment.”

Benard paid his respects to Christopher, calling him a “truly talented individual” before touching on the late actor’s personal struggles.

“[He] relished bringing joy to his loyal fans through his acting. Tyler was a sweet soul and wonderful friend to all of those who knew him,” Benard continued. “Tyler was an advocate for better mental health and substance use treatment who openly spoke about his struggles with bipolar depression and alcohol. We are beyond devastated by the loss of our dear friend and pray for his children and his father.”

More of Christopher’s friends joined in publicly mourning the actor after his death, including his former fiancée and General Hospital costar, Vanessa Marcil.

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Marcil, who was engaged to Christopher until they split in 1999, reposted a Threads statement from Amber Tamblyn, who played Emily Quartermaine on the ABC series from 1998 to 2000, that read, “This is crushing news. Tyler Christopher was a generous scene partner who was always respectful and wonderful on screen and off.”

Christopher gained notoriety on General Hospital, where he played Nikolas Cassadine and Connor Bishop from 1996 to 2016. His work on GH led to five Daytime Emmy Awards, including his 2016 win for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series. He’s also remembered for his role as Stefan DiMera on Days of Our Lives from 2001 to 2019, for which he also received an Emmy nomination.

The late actor’s other credits include The Lying Game, Moon Crash, Thor: God of Thunder and Ice Storm.