New Brittany Murphy documentary makes SHOCKING claim about husband Simon Monjack
In December 2009, the death of Brittany Murphy shocked the world. She died under mysterious circumstances at the young age of 32. A new docu-series ‘What Happened, Brittany Murphy?’ examines the life and tragic death of the actor and singer.
As per Time magazine, the docuseries directed by Cynthia Hill is not all that great, noting, “its balance between respectful reevaluation of its subject and true-crime salaciousness tilts conspicuously toward the latter.” The review also said, “The line between vindicating an unfairly maligned person and continuing to posthumously exploit her has rarely been so thin.”
In February 2010, the Los Angeles County coroner said Murphy's death was an accident caused by a combination of pneumonia, an iron deficiency, and "multiple drug intoxication." The coroner’s report said, "Multiple medications were present in the blood, with elevated levels of hydrocodone, acetaminophen, and chlorpheniramine. L-methamphetamine was also present.”
It noted that "the pattern of use of these medications suggest treatment of symptoms of a cold or other respiratory infection." The report further said, "Acetaminophen and hydrocodone are components of Vicodin. Chlorpheniramine is the active ingredient in some over-the-counter medications. L-methamphetamine is a component of some inhalers."
Despite this, her death has remained an enduring mystery for her fans and true crime enthusiasts. Her death was only made more compelling by the mysterious death of her husband soon after. Five months after Murphy’s demise, her husband, British screenwriter Simon Monjack, was found dead in the couple’s Hollywood home on May 23, 2010. In July, the Los Angeles County coroner said that his death too was caused by acute pneumonia and severe anemia. "Just like Brittany," Assistant Chief Coroner Ed Winter said at the time.
In January 2010, Monjack’s mother, Linda Monjack, told People magazine that her son was “unwell, and the doctors are carrying out tests. On whether he has a heart problem it is not really for me to say, you must ask him, but yes, there have been health problems in the past. I believe it’s common knowledge, and it's been in the press that he had a slight heart attack a week from Brittany’s death coming back from Puerto Rico.”
The new docuseries focuses on Murphy and Monjack, and the question: did the latter have something to do with the death of the former. In the documentary, reporter Amber Ryland recalls getting an exclusive interview with Monjack shortly after Murphy’s death. “It was in the back of my mind, ‘Am I sitting with a murderer?’” she says, adding “Could he have killed his wife?"
As per reports, the new series sees friends and colleagues repeatedly describe Monjack as controlling. They talk about his supposed obsession with skeletally skinny women, his alleged penchant for doing BDSM-tinged photoshoots with Murphy, and his micromanagement of her appearance. They also described him as a con artist — multiple testimonies, some of which are very convincing, are presented to attest to these revelations about Monjack's relationship with Murphy.
“[People] were scared and freaked out. Like, who was this guy, and what was happening?” Murphy’s ‘King of the Hill’ co-star Kathy Najimy recalls in the documentary. “She wanted to marry him, and I said, ‘Honey, it’s not been long enough.’” Murphy and Monjack got married in 2007.
Elizabeth Ragland, who was engaged to him before he was involved with Murphy, believes her ex was guilty of letting Murphy die — by not making sure she got proper medical care. “Even if he did not kill Brittany Murphy, he allowed her to die because he did not get her to the doctor and get her help,” she says in the docuseries.