Mark Salling Death Certificate Confirms Death by Hanging

Mark Salling’s death certificate, released by Los Angeles County Coroner’s Office, confirms that the former Glee star’s official cause of death was asphyxia by hanging. It also says his body was found dead in a riverbed in Sunland, California.

See the death certificate here.

The coroner had previously confirmed that Salling’s cause of death was asphyxia by hanging.

Salling’s body was found hanging from a tree near a riverbed near his Los Angeles home, authorities said. He was 35 years old and was weeks away from being sentenced for possession of child pornography. He had pleaded guilty to charges in December after reaching a plea deal, accepting four to seven years in prison. He also faced 20 years of supervised release after his prison sentence.

The sentencing hearing was scheduled for March and the actor was out on bail.

The actor, who played Puck on Glee, had also agreed to pay $50,000 in restitution to any victims who requested it. Prosecutors said there were over 50,000 images on his computer, some showing children as young as 3 years old.

Salling reportedly had the money to pay some victims. TMZ reported that Salling created a corporation in 2009 to manage his income from Glee. The value of the business, managed by his father, was reportedly worth $1.971 million. Victims seeking restitution could still sue Salling’s estate.

In addition, Salling was ordered to register as a sex offender and enter a treatment program. It’s unclear whether that process was underway. He was forbidden from communicating with any person under the age of 18 without their parent or legal guardian supervising the interaction.

Salling’s child pornography case was officially dismissed last week.

Salling reportedly attempted suicide multiple times and struggled with depression before his death. Back in August, he reportedly cut his wrists and went to a rehab facility for psychological treatments before he reached the plea deal.

“He was in a dark place. He was very lonely. He was very depressed,” a friend told Us Weekly. “He was going to prison soon. Whoever was in his life pretty much cut him off.”

The friend told Us Weekly that many people “cut” Salling out of their lives after he was arrested.

“There’s really no words in this sort of situation,” the friend told Us Weekly. “His closest friends are just in shock — from everything over the past couple of years.”

Salling’s family confirmed the actor’s death in January in a statement via their lawyer.

“I can confirm that Mark Salling passed away early this morning,” it reads. “Mark was a gentle and loving person, a person of great creativity, who was doing his best to atone for some serious mistakes and errors of judgment. He is survived by his mother and father, and his brother. The Salling family appreciates the support they have been receiving and asks for their privacy to be respected.”