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Malcolm-Jamal Warner died during a family trip to Costa Rica on July 20<\/p>\n
The actor, best known for his role as Theo Huxtable on The Cosby Show, was 54 years old<\/p>\n
The Costa Rican police confirmed to PEOPLE that his autopsy had been completed on July 22<\/p>\n
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Authorities are revealing the official cause of Malcolm-Jamal Warner’s sudden death at age 54.
\nThe Judicial Investigation Agency (OIJ) confirmed to PEOPLE that the actor’s autopsy was completed on Tuesday, July 22, which showed that he died from accidental asphyxiation by submersion. This comes one day after a source told PEOPLE that Warner was body surfing in the water during a family trip in Costa Rica at the time of his death.
\n\u201cThe body will be removed from the Judicial Morgue by a funeral service company hired and authorized by Mr. Warner’s family,\u201d the OIJ said.
\nIt was also Costa Rican National Police who formally identified the actor on Sunday, July 20. They revealed the following day that Warner’s cause of death was ruled as the result of drowning, pending the autopsy report.
\nIn a statement obtained\u00a0by PEOPLE on July 21, the OIJ said: “The victim appears to have entered the sea and was apparently swept away by a current. The man was rescued by bystanders and taken to shore, where he received treatment from the Costa Rican Red Cross. However, he was declared lifeless at the scene.”
\nMalcolm-Jamal Warner’s Life in Photos
\nMalcolm-Jamal Warner, Who Played Son Theo on ‘The Cosby Show,’ Dies at 54 After Drowning on Family Trip
\nSpeaking with PEOPLE for 2023’s\u00a0Black History Month\u00a0special, Warner shared his continued pride for the role the sitcom played in television history overall.
\n“Prior to\u00a0The Cosby Show,\u00a0Black sitcom humor was predicated on being Black, the specificity of the ‘Black’ experience. Though the Huxtables were clearly Black \u2014 reflected quite obviously by their dress, the Black art on the walls, the music \u2014 the family issues all were universal,” he shared.
\n“And though Cliff [Cosby] was a doctor and Claire [Phylicia Rashad] was an attorney, the family dynamic was one that practically every family \u2014 no matter the ethnicity, socio-economic status or even family makeup \u2014 could find something to relate to.”
\nHe appeared in Malcolm & Eddie\u00a0from 1996 to 2000 with Eddie Griffin, and then played Alex Reed on\u00a0Reed Between the Lines with\u00a0Tracee Ellis Ross from 2011 to 2015.
\nMore recently, Warner had starred in\u00a0Major Crimes\u00a0as Chuck Cooper, as Julius Rowe in\u00a0Suits\u00a0and as AJ Austin in\u00a0The Resident.\u00a09-1-1\u00a0and\u00a0Alert: Missing Persons Unit. The actor also started the podcast in May 2024, and hosted it alongside Weusi Baraka and Candace Kelley, titled Not All Hood.
\nMorris Chestnut, who\u00a0worked with Warner as fellow surgeons on the medical drama\u00a0The Resident, shared several photos from their time on the show together alongside a heartfelt note.
\n“Heartbroken to hear about the passing of Malcolm-Jamal Warner,” Chestnut captioned the post. “Working alongside him on\u00a0The Resident\u00a0was an honor. He brought so much depth, warmth, and wisdom to every scene and every conversation. One of the nicest in the business. Rest easy, brother. Your legacy lives on.”<\/p>\n
In a statement to PEOPLE, Patrick J. Adams also shared his grief, calling Warner’s death “a painful loss.”
\n“We were blessed with countless incredible guest stars over our 9 years of\u00a0Suits,” he said. “But when it came to generosity of spirit, joy and absolute commitment to every moment on and off camera, Malcolm was untouchable. I feel so lucky to have shared that time him and send my deepest condolences to his friends and family.”
\nWarner’s on and off-screen best friend Griffin\u00a0posted a photo of the actor on his Instagram Story shortly after hearing the news.
\n“My Big little Brother \ud83d\ude4f\ud83c\udffe\u2665\ufe0f\ud83d\ude4f\ud83c\udffe,” the caption read.
\nRoss\u00a0posted on her social media to honor her longtime friendship with Warner with a series of throwback photos and a sweet message.
\n“I love you, Malcolm,” she wrote. “First I met you as Theo with the rest of the world then you were my first TV husband. My heart is so so sad. What an actor and friend you were: warm, gentle, present, kind, thoughtful, deep, funny, elegant. You made the world a brighter place. Sending so much love to your family. I\u2019m so sorry for this unimaginable loss.”<\/p>\n
“WTF\u2026. Wow. This is heartbreaking \ud83d\ude22\ud83d\ude22\ud83d\ude22” wrote comedian Kevin Hart, before adding, “RIP king\u2026. Woooow”
\nWhile Ricki Lake commented, “Omg!!!!!!! \ud83d\udc94\ud83d\udc94\ud83d\udc94,” actress Jennie Garth simply left a series of broken hearts: “\ud83d\udc94 \ud83d\udc94\ud83d\udc94”
\n“WHATTTTT \ud83d\udc94\ud83d\udc94\ud83d\udc94\ud83d\udc94\ud83d\udc94\ud83d\udc94\ud83d\udc94,” Holly Robinson Peete commented.
\nPatti LaBelle reacted with a string of emojis: “\ud83d\ude4f\ud83c\udffe\u2764\ufe0f\ud83d\ude4f\ud83c\udffe\u2764\ufe0f.” Mario Lopez shared three red heart emojis.
\nNever miss a story \u2014 sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer\u200b\u200b, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
\nThe actor was known for being very quiet about his private life. He is survived by his wife and daughter.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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