The exact cause of rapper Juice WRLD‘s sudden death at age 21 on Sunday is still a mystery, even after the initial autopsy. The Chicago-born actor suffered a seizure after arriving at Midway Airport early Sunday morning and never recovered. He was pronounced dead after arriving at a nearby hospital.
On Monday, the Medical Examiner’s Office released a statement noting that “additional studies are required to establish the cause and manner of death, reports Variety. The additional tests will include cardiac pathology, neuropathology, histology and toxicology, an official said.
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Juice WRLD arrived at Chicago’s Midway Airport in a private jet. According to TMZ‘s police sources, the private jet was allegedly carrying 70 pounds of marijuana. The musician also allegedly took “several unknown pills” before the seizure began.
Law enforcement sources said there was a bottle of codeine cough syrup found on the plane. A member of his entourage also told police the rapper might have been dependent on Percocet.
Officers and agents were waiting at the gate when Juice WRLD’s plane arrived, sources told the Chicago Tribune Monday, because they believed Juice WRLD might have drugs on the plane. The sources said the rapper, born Jared Higgins, began showing signs of the seizure while agents went through his luggage. They briefly revived him using Narcan, but he died at the hospital.
According to the Tribune, the search of Juice WRLD’s plane uncovered 41 bags of marijuana and six bottles of prescription codeine cough syrup. Weapons were also found, including two 9 mm pistols and a .40-caliber pistol. The rapper’s team also carried metal-piercing bullets and a high-capacity ammunition magazine.
No charges have been filed, and there were no name tags on the marijuana and codeine, sources told the Tribune.
It is not clear why federal agents believed Juice WRLD was carrying contraband on his plane. The .40-caliber pistol belonged to Christopher Long, who was charged with unlawful possession of a firearm. Henry Dean, who told police he was working security for Juice WRLD, was charged with carrying a concealed firearm at an airport, and possessing a high-capacity magazine and metal-piercing bullets. According to the Tribune, Dean did have a permit in Illinois, but it is illegal to take the weapons to an airport.
Juice WRLD shot to fame in June 2017 his EP 9 9 9 and went mainstream with “Lucid Dreams.” He also scored hits with his albums Goodbye & Good Riddance and Death Race for Love, both released this year.
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