Mark Salling bought a pack of cigarettes hours before his death on Tuesday, according to convenience store footage. An employee described the Glee actor as “agitated” and looked like he was “on a different planet.”
The Daily Mail obtained footage from a store near his home in the Los Angeles’ Sunland area from around 12:40 p.m. Monday. Less than 24 hours later, police found him hanging from a tree by the Big Tujunga Creek.
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The 35-year-old actor was seen wearing dark blue tracksuit pants with a black long-sleeved shirt. He was unshaven, looking pale and twitchy as he asked for a pack of Marlboro Lights. He paid with a credit card.
The cashier told the Daily Mail that Salling looked like he was “on a different planet” and did not do much talking.
“He seemed agitated, not really there, you could tell he was depressed or something, he asked for Marlboro Lights but didn’t say thanks,” the cashier said.
Police found Salling on Tuesday. On Thursday, the Los Angeles County Coroner confirmed the cause of death as asphyxia by hanging.
Salling was scheduled for a sentencing hearing on March 7 after he agreed to plead guilty to charges of possession of child pornography. He faced up to seven years in prison, with 20 years of supervised release afterwards. He formally pleaded guilty in a December hearing.
Salling also agreed to pay $50,000 in restitution to any victims who requested it. Prosecutors said they found over 50,000 images of child pornography on his computer during their investigation.
The actor, who played Puck on Glee, reportedly attempted suicide several times before his death. He reportedly cut his wrists at his Los Angeles home in August, weeks before his sentencing hearing. He was later taken to a rehab facility for psychological issues.
Salling told the judge at the October hearing he was taking medication for depression.
“I can confirm that Mark Salling passed away early this morning,” Salling’s family said in a statement through their attorney. “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.”
