Autopsy: Drugs taken by Chris Cornell didn’t cause death
DETROIT — Soundgarden frontman Chris Cornell had drugs in his body, including an anti-anxiety medication, but they didn’t contribute to his death by hanging in a Detroit hotel room, according to autopsy reports released Friday.
The reports confirm that Cornell, 52, killed himself after a May 17 concert. A resistance band was around his neck, and the other end was attached to a clip over the top of the bathroom door, said Dr. Theodore Brown, assistant Wayne County medical examiner.
Toxicology tests showed the presence of barbiturates, caffeine and lorazepam, also known as Ativan, for relief of anxiety. The report also lists naloxone, an anti-opioid drug, and a decongestant.
“These drugs did not contribute to the cause of death,” Brown said.