LOS ANGELES, Nov. 18 (UPI) -- A lab hired by the father of Brittany Murphy says it found heavy metals in the hair of the late actress, possibly indicating she and her husband were poisoned.
Testing by the Carlson Co., a private laboratory, turned up high levels of aluminum, manganese, barium and other metals, TheWrap.com reported Monday. The lab's report said that pointed to the possibility they were deliberately poisoned by "a third party perpetrator with likely criminal intent."
"It's a bona fide report," the lab's general manager, Denny Seilheimer, told TheWrap. "It was our client's prerogative to release the report. That's all I can tell you."
Murphy's father, Angelo Bertolotti, has rejected the conclusion reached by the Los Angeles County Coroner's Office that the "Clueless" star and husband Simon Monjack died of natural causes -- pneumonia and anemia -- five months apart in 2009 and 2010 respectively.
Coroner's spokesman Ed Winter said the office had no comment on the private lab's findings "and our report stands as of now." He told The Wrap the office had not been in touch with Bertolotti.
Los Angeles police officer Cleon Joseph said it would be up to the coroner's office whether to take further action.
"Whatever the findings, if there was something to report, they would report it to us," he told The Wrap.
