Saturday, January 26, 2008
Heath Ledger's funeral arrangements still secret (9:45 a.m.)
NEW YORK (AP) - The body of Heath Ledger left the funeral home as
the family preapred to bury the "Brokeback Mountain" actor, the
same day police insisted they have no interest in interviewing
actress Mary-Kate Olsen.
Details about the Australian-born actor's funeral remained
shrouded in secrecy. The body was moved from the police-barricaded
funeral home at about 4 p.m. Friday amid a swarm of cameras and
reporters. Ledger's publicist, Mara Buxbaum, said funeral
arrangements "will continue to be kept private at the family's
request."
Their immediate plans were not known, though Australian Foreign
Minister Stephen Smith said his government would do whatever is
needed to help the family bring back his body to Australia.
Also Friday, Olsen said Ledger was a "friend" in a brief
statement released Friday, her first word since his death. In its
entirety, it reads: "Heath was a friend. His death is a tragic
loss. My thoughts are with his family during this very difficult
time."
Police said the masseuse who found Ledger's body Tuesday spent
nine minutes making three calls to the Olsen twin before dialing
emergency dispatchers for help, then called Olsen a fourth time
after paramedics arrived. At some point during the flurry of calls,
Olsen, who was in California, summoned her personal security guards
to the apartment to help, police said.
NYPD spokesman Paul Browne said investigators have no interest in
talking to Olsen. They interviewed everyone at the scene, each of
whom was cooperative. That eliminated "any need to interview Miss
Olsen," he said.
Olsen's whereabouts were unknown Friday. A private viewing was
scheduled held for Ledger on Friday at the Frank E. Campbell funeral
home in Manhattan.
Ledger's family placed a death notice in The West Australian, a
newspaper based in his hometown of Perth, remembering him as "the
most amazing 'old soul' in a young man's body."
"As a close knit and very private family we have observed you so
determined yet quietly traveling in your self-styled path in life,
nothing would get in your way ... no mountain too tall, no river too
wide," said the notice, which the newspaper said had been submitted
by Ledger's relatives. ".... Our hearts are broken."
The actor's sister, Kate, said she could "hardly breathe" as
she tried to write her tribute. "We were the ultimate soul mates,"
she said.
"You were so many things to so many people, but to me you were
just my little brother."
The cause of Ledger's death will not be known for at least a
week, after medical examiners complete toxicology tests. Authorities
suspect a possible overdose, but nothing conclusive has been
determined. Several prescription drugs were found in the Manhattan
apartment where Ledger's body was found. (AP) |
