Cory Monteith, the Victoria-raised actor who rose to fame with his performance in Glee, was found dead in a Vancouver hotel room on Saturday afternoon.
The B.C. Coroners Service and Vancouver police made brief statements Saturday night confirming the 31-year-old actor’s death.
Monteith had been staying in a room on the 21st floor of the Fairmont Pacific Rim hotel since July 6 and was due to check out of the hotel on Saturday.
After Monteith failed to check out, staff were sent to his room.
He was found dead about noon. Paramedics were called, but Monteith could not be resuscitated.
Acting Chief Doug LePard of Vancouver police said there were no indications of foul play.
Other people had been with Monteith in the hotel room on Friday night.
But police said Monteith had returned alone.
The B.C. Coroners Service said a cause of death was not apparent on first examination.
“The death of a young person is a tragedy for their family, friends and community. A sudden death is more shocking,” said chief coroner Lisa Lapointe.
Monteith performed as Finn Hudson on the television musical Glee, appearing in the pilot in 2009 and subsequent seasons.
Born in Calgary, Monteith moved to Victoria when he was two years old. His mother, Ann McGregor, still lives here.
Last year, his mother recounted Monteith’s history of drugs, life on the streets of Victoria, alcohol and petty crime.
“Our relationship is much more powerful than I ever imagined it would be, having gone through the tough years,” she told the Times Colonist.
Monteith dropped out of school at 16 and developed an alcohol and drug addiction. He first went to rehab when he was 19.
He received a diploma from Western Opportunity Network, the Colwood alternative school now known as Pacific Secondary School.
In 2011, he told the Times Colonist: “I had such a wayward youth. I got in a lot of trouble as a kid.”
He worked as a Wal-Mart greeter, Bluebird cab driver and roofer before turning to acting in his 20s, being cast in Glee.
In March, Monteith voluntarily checked himself into rehab and left at the end of April.
An autopsy is scheduled for Monday.
