Getty Heir Had 'Several Health Issues' Before Death: Police

ByMEGHAN KENEALLY ABCNews logo
Thursday, April 2, 2015

Andrew Getty, the grandson of oil billionaire J. Paul Getty, was suffering from several undisclosed health issues at the time of his death, a police spokeswoman said today.

"At this time, it appears as though he died of natural causes but the coroner will obviously make that determination in their final report," Det. Meghan Aguilar told ABC News.

Craig Harvey, the chief of investigations for the Coroner's office, told ABC that Getty has not yet been examined by the medical examiner and that will happen either Thursday or Friday.

Harvey went on to say that preliminary observations do not indicate trauma or foul play.

"I also suspect that the final cause of death will be deferred and additional toxicology or tissue studies will be ordered that could result in any final ruling being delayed for 6 to 8 weeks or more," Harvey said.

Police responded to Getty's home at around 2:20 p.m. Tuesday after receiving a call for an ambulance from an unidentified woman. Police are not investigating the case in a criminal capacity because the cause of death has not yet been officially determined, authorities said.

Getty's father, Gordon Getty, is one of industrialist J. Paul Getty's five sons. J. Paul Getty was once considered the richest man in the world.

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