LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Late 'Goodfellas' star Ray Liotta’s cause of death has reportedly been revealed, a year after his death at the age of 67. The ‘Crossing Over’ actor died in his sleep while shooting for his film 'Dangerous Waters' in the Dominican Republic on May 26, 2022.
Now, in documents obtained by TMZ, doctors categorized Loitta’s cause of death as acute heart failure and fluid in the lungs, officially known as pulmonary edema. Doctors also noted that he had atherosclerosis, which is a narrowing of the arteries, making it difficult for blood to flow through them, which can increase your risk of heart attack and stroke, according to Metro. Previously, it was revealed that Liotta’s body was transported to the Santo Domingo Forensic Institute after he was found dead in Casas del XVI in Zona Colonial Hotel in the Dominican Republic, where he was shooting a sequence for ‘Dangerous Water’.
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Liotta appeared 'noticeably pale’ before his death
The ‘Cop Land’ star is survived by his fiancé Jacy Nittolo and daughter Karsen, whom he shared with ex-wife Michelle Grace. Months before his death, Liotta was spotted in Los Angeles, where he looked 'noticeably pale' and 'needed help from the valet putting on his jacket', according to Daily Mail. An insider, at that time, also explained that because he was "slow and steady on his feet," Nittolo had to assist him by carrying his bags from the car to the hotel. However, he appeared to be in better shape in photos shot at the beginning of May when he and his fiancée strolled around Pacific Palisades in Los Angeles.
Born in 1954, Liotta enjoyed an illustrious groundbreaking career that spanned several decades. He found fame after portraying the role of ex-con Ray Sinclair in the 1986 black comedy ‘Something Wild’, for which he received a Golden Globe nomination. He later starred as Shoeless Joe Jackson in the 1989 movie ‘Field of Dreams’ before delivering a blockbuster performance by playing Henry Hill in Martin Scorsese's ‘Goodfellas’, which also starred Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci. He also featured in ‘The Many Saints of Newark’, ‘Marriage Story’, and ‘No Sudden Move’ in more recent years as his acting took off again.
‘I miss him every second of every day’
Following his death, Nittolo paid him a moving tribute with an emotional post, where she shared a slew of romantic pictures of the couple. “It’s hard to believe a month has gone by. There are no words to properly describe what one goes through with this type of unexpected loss. I miss him every second of every day. Each day my hint of some light is being with our children,” she wrote in the caption, adding “Through such deep pain I find so much love and laughter. Our lives right now are so fragile yet we are each holding each other up. It’s as if we are one big blended family that was predestined beyond our wildest imaginations.”