Brittany Murphy's mom wrote a chilling letter years after her tragic death: "I have no choice but..."
Renowned for her stellar act in 'Clueless,' and 'Sin City,' Brittany Murphy had all the best things going on for her until she passed away in 2009 at just 32. The cause of death was later attributed to untreated pneumonia, anemia, and drug intoxication from prescription and over-the-counter medications, though no illegal substances were found in her system, as reported by People.
However, Brittany's father, Angelo Bertolotti, disputed the claim and even claimed that he sent the late actress' hair, blood, and tissue samples to an independent lab, as per USA Today. He even asserted that the results revealed "heavy metals/toxic elements" commonly found in rat poison, pesticides, and insecticides, suggesting they may have been introduced by a third party with criminal intent. However, Britanny's mother, Sharon Murphy, refuted all the claims in an open letter to The Hollywood Reporter.
Fifteen years after Brittany's death, her mother, Sharon Murphy, broke her silence with a powerful open letter in 2013. In the letter, Sharon addressed allegations made by Brittany's estranged father, Bertolotti, who claimed that she had been poisoned, as per Inquistir. Sharon wrote, "I have no choice now but to come forward in the face of inexcusable efforts to smear my daughter’s memory by a man who may be her biological father but was never a real father to her in her lifetime."
She further stated that, while the true cause of death may never be known, "the Los Angeles County Coroner did extensive tests and found that she died of natural causes." Sharon also highlighted her close relationship with Brittany, recalling how they were inseparable throughout her life and career. Sharon further responded to Bertolotti's claims, detailing his absence from Brittany's life. She wrote, "Angelo was not there at all after age 1. He certainly wasn’t around during the 12 years he spent in prison on three criminal felony convictions."
Sharon criticized Bertolotti for relocating to California in his old age, stating, "Angelo Bertolotti has relocated to California in his old age to claim he is here for Brittany, as he never was in life." She further condemned his recent statements, saying, "He has made outrageous statements over the past few years, culminating in this latest madness: that my darling daughter was murdered." Sharon dismissed Bertolotti’s accusations as baseless, suggesting they were aimed at exploiting Brittany's legacy for personal gain. Sharon also discredited Bertolotti's lab test findings, stating, "An analysis from a sample of hair is not considered dependable unless it is backed up by tests of tissue and blood and other analysis — which he did not do…"
Sharon further accused Bertolotti of exploiting Brittany's legacy by setting up the Brittany Murphy Foundation with Julia Davis, calling it a "calculated" attempt for money and fame, as per The Guardian. She added, "They say they want to do a documentary and write a book, and this whole stunt is merely publicity to fuel their aspirations." Sharon further stated, "The time has come to bring out into the open the lies Angelo and Davis have told now that Brittany can't defend herself," accusing them of promoting their own interests at Brittany’s expense.