Celebrity Autopsy Shockers — Bizarre Mysteries From The Morgue

Celebrity deaths make big news before the stars are laid to rest! Their secrets aren't safe from The National ENQUIRER, though — as we dig up troubling truths and disturbing mysteries behind the tragic ends of some of the biggest names in comedy, television, music, films and sports...

JOHN RITTER didn't die from natural causes — but was murdered! That’s the theory of a longtime friend who insists the "Three's Company" star’s death was covered up to make it appear the 54-year-old comic genius died of a supposed aortic dissection. “He'd been sick on the set all day,” said the source, "with vomiting and sweats — classic symptoms for poisoning!"

JOAN RIVERS may never have the cause of her death revealed — because she wasn’t given an autopsy! Joan was 81 when she went into cardiac arrest during a routine procedure at New York’s Yorkville Endoscopy clinic on Aug. 28, 2014. She died on Sept. 4. Famed forensic pathologist Dr. Cyril Wecht called the failure to thoroughly investigate her death outrageous, as Rivers’ doctors were cleared of any wrongdoing.

JOHN LENNON and his wife Yoko Ono were entering their apartment on Dec. 8, 1980, when crazed stalker Mark David Chapman shot down the legendary rocker. An insider told The ENQUIRER: “While John clearly died from the horrific shooting, Yoko wouldn't allow the autopsy report to be released to the public. That means we’ll never learn if alcohol or drugs — legal or illegal — were in his system when he died!"

ROBIN WILLIAMS' death at his California mansion on Aug. 11, 2014, was ruled a suicide – but an expert claimed the investigation may have overlooked murder! Williams, 63 and taking medications for Parkinson's, “had enough drugs in his system to at least fall asleep,” said private investigator Dan Hanks, a former technical advisor to the Marin County Sheriff — adding: “The ligature marks are not especially demonstrative, and there was little or no hemorrhaging. That suggests he was asleep or incapacitated at the time his oxygen supply was cut off!”

MAMA CASS ELLIOT was struggling as a solo act when the beloved entertainer died at the age of 32 — and left behind a tragic secret about her lonely life when her body was found in July 1974! An uneaten ham sandwich at the side of Cass' bed sparked cruel rumors that she'd died from choking on food. Instead, her heart was worn out from a steady drug habit that she also used to lure men into bed.

NICOLE BROWN SIMPSON sadly found fame in death as the alleged victim of her ex-husband O.J. Simpson, as she died alongside Ron Goldman on June 12, 1994. A doctor's report helped to suggest that her death was a crime of passion, noting that one stabbing "was so deep that it went all the way through to her spinal column, almost severing her head from her body."

PRINCE was pronounced dead at 10:07 a.m. on April 21, 2016. His body was transported to the Medical Examiner’s Office for an autopsy the next day — revealing he'd overdosed on counterfeit drugs! His body was released to his family that same day. Prince’s remains were cremated almost immediately, which sources said was a move to cover up his secret AIDS status.

DAVID CARRADINE was found in June 2009 hanging from the clothes bar of a closet in a five-star luxury hotel in Thailand. Some members of the Carradine clan doubted the  official story of autoerotic asphyxiation, however — and investigators were later convinced David was murdered by transvestite prostitutes! "I've probably seen 50 cases of fatal autoerotic asphyxiations," said Hollywood detective Paul Huebl,"but none of them involved blood!"

NATALIE WOOD took the mysteries of her final night to her grave — with the help of a possible cover-up after the Hollywood legend ended up on the mortician's slab! Pages went missing from her  autopsy report, and British criminologist Fenton Bresler discovered evidence of a missing rape test while studying Natalie's autopsy report in 1986.

MARILYN MONROE's legend will never die — but Hollywood mortician Allan Abbott revealed secrets of her death! He was in the room with an embalmer during the autopsy after the star’s passing on Aug. 5, 1962. "It was almost impossible to believe this was the body of Marilyn Monroe," Allan recalled. "She looked like a very average, aging woman who had not been taking very good care of herself!"

JOHN BELUSHI died as a hardcore addict, with Deputy L.A. Medical Examiner Dr. Ronald N. Komblum revealing that "multiple needle tracks were found just below the elbows on both arms," adding that his death on March 5, 1982, was "due to acute cocaine and heroin intoxication." But the star showed no signs of heart disease, clogged arteries or internal problems of any kind — leading to the arrest of drug dealer Cathy Smith.

MICKEY ROONEY had his death certificate signed without an official autopsy — even though two of his daughters believe he was poisoned! Ed Winter, assistant chief medical examiner for L.A. County, admitted his office didn’t conduct toxicology tests to detect any chemicals in his bloodstream. Kelly and Kerry Rooney became suspicious after learning their screen-legend father signed a new will on March 11, 2014, that basically left his entire estate to stepson Mark and his wife, Darlene.

ELVIS PRESLEY was caught in his coffin by The National ENQUIRER, and others caught on to a new theory about what really killed The King on August 16, 1977. Insiders said the autopsy conducted on Elvis after his death on Aug. 16, 1977 — which ruled the rock ’n’ roll icon died of “cardiac arrhythmia” — covered up a deadly prescription by a dentist!

BRUCE LEE was billed as the 'fittest man in the world' when he died at 32 years old on July 20, 1973! The official autopsy was "death by misadventure," but a coroner's report revealed that Bruce had ingested a large amount of "Nepali hashish," considered to be one of the most potent drugs in the world. "Bruce was 5'7" with zero body fat," said one hashish aficionado, "and he was getting high on something that would knock out a guy three times his size!"

CHRIS BENOIT was suffering from fatal drug and steroid damage – and had less than a year to live when he murdered his wife and son before killing himself! The wrestler was found hanged at his Fayetteville, Ga., home in June 2007. “The medical examiner told us Chris was on his way to death within 10 months,” said former sister-in-law Sandra Toffoloni, adding:. “He had a serious drug problem. The paranoia was a direct result of abuse of steroids!"