Morgan Stevens' Cause of Death: What to Know

Melrose Place and Fame star Morgan Stevens' cause of death has been officially released. Stevens died on Jan. 26 at the age of 70. Deadline reports that his cause of death was heart disease or hardening of the arteries. His body was discovered by police after a wellness check. The L.A. Coroner's office disclosed his cause of death. Yahoo News reports that heart disease often goes undetected in individuals until it's too late to do anything about it. The key to surviving is early detection.

Dr. Grant Hatch, a professor of pharmacology and therapeutics at the University of Manitoba, told Yahoo that asking for a blood test from a doctor is key. "The doctor will check your blood pressure and look at the level of low-density lipoprotein particles (bi-products of fat transports) in the blood [and] levels of triglycerides the patient has," Hatch said. 

There are several contributing factors to heart disease, two of which are age and genetics. It's most common in older men. But there are certain lifestyle factors that play a role as well. Individuals who have high cholesterol, high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes, who smoke cigarette and have an unhealthy diet can develop the cardiovascular condition.

Stevens starred as Paul Northridge in The Waltons. He also played in the show's three reunion movies. His big break came with Fame in 1982 in the role of David Reardon. Stevens later appeared on Melrose Place. His other notable credits include Airwolf, Walker, and Texas Ranger.

In 1989, Stevens was arrested by the LAPD on suspicion of DUI. While in custody, he was severely beaten by police. His DUI charge was later dropped after a blood alcohol test revealed that he was not under the influence. Per Stevens, the officer who arrested him mistakenly assumed he was drunk because he had just taken a prescription pain reliever for a bad back which impaired his speech and judgment. He sued the LAPD for the way he was treated while in custody. 

According to a 1991 LA Times report, Stevens sought $10 million from the beating. The case was settled for an undisclosed amount. The actor was happy to return to normal life. 

"Let's just say I'm glad this is behind me and I'm looking forward now to resuming my life and career," Stevens said at the time. His lawyers said the LAPD didn't want to risk the publicity of a trial following the Rodney G. King case. "There's no question the King case entered into the equation," Stevens' attorney Jeffrey M. Galen told the LA Times. 

Stevens was open about how the incident affected his work. "I mean this happened just after 'A Year in the Life' when people were literally leaving scripts on my doorstep," he said. He was unable to work as a result and had to refinance his home in Sherman Oaks.