'Green Book' Actor Frank Vallelonga Jr.'s Cause of Death Revealed 4 Months After Body Found: Reports
Frank Vallelonga Jr. was found dead outside of a building in the Bronx on Nov. 28
Frank Vallelonga Jr.'s cause of death has been determined just over four months since his body was found in New York City.
The 60-year-old's body was discovered early in the morning on Nov. 28, with police sharing in a press release at the time that he had "no obvious signs of trauma" but was pronounced dead at the scene.
New York Post reported at the time that Vallelonga Jr.'s body was thrown out of a car and left outside of a sheet-metal manufacturing factory, and the outlet cited police sources claiming, based on an initial investigation, it was likely Vallelonga Jr. died of a drug overdose.
On Monday, the New York City Medical Examiner's Office concluded in its autopsy report that his death was caused by "acute intoxication due to combined effects of fentanyl and cocaine," according to NY Post and the New York Daily News.
Police previously said 35-year-old Steven Smith was arrested and charged with concealment of a human corpse in connection with Vallelonga Jr.'s death.
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An NYPD spokesperson told The Post in December that surveillance video captured Smith pushing the late actor's body out of a car. He also allegedly admitted to the act during an interrogation for an unrelated case, according to the outlet. However, Smith denied any involvement in Vallelonga Jr.'s death and told authorities, "That dude was dead already," according to News 10 in Albany, New York.
According to the Daily News, an arrest warrant was issued in January when Smith didn't show up for an appearance at Bronx Criminal Court, and the outlet reported that the current state of the case is currently unclear.
Vallelonga Jr.'s father was actor Tony Lip, born Frank Vallelonga. Lip died in 2013 and appeared in The Sopranos, 1997's Donnie Brasco, The Godfather, and starred in Goodfellas, according to Variety. Vallelonga, Jr.'s big break came when he played his uncle, Rudy Vallelonga, in Green Book.
The movie won an Oscar for Best Picture in 2019. Viggo Mortensen portrayed Lip in the film.
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