‘Green Book’ Actor Frank Vallelonga Jr. Cause of Death Revealed
Green Book actor Frank Vallelonga Jr., whose body was found dumped outside of a Bronx, New York, sheet-metal manufacturing factory last November, died of an accidental overdose of fentanyl and cocaine, according to city officials.
On Monday, April 10, the New York City Medical Examiner’s Office ruled that Vallelonga Jr’s death was accidental and caused by “acute intoxication due to combined effects of fentanyl and cocaine.”
The actor’s passing was first confirmed in early December in a statement from his rep, who said, “I’m very sad to confirm Frank’s death. It’s a terrible tragedy. He was an incredible guy and a great actor.”
At the time, it was reported that the NYPD responded to a 911 call reporting an unconscious male left outside 1243 Oak Point Avenue in The Bronx on November 28. The man was unresponsive when officers arrived, and EMS later pronounced him dead at the scene.
NYPD later arrested a 35-year-old male named Steven Smith, who was charged with concealment of a human corpse. Video surveillance of the incident allegedly showed Smith dumping the actor’s body from a vehicle.
According to the New York Post, Smith told the police that a woman named “Pam” asked him to help dump the body of a person who overdosed but claimed he had nothing to do with the death.
“That dude was dead already. He overdosed; I didn’t have anything to do with that,” Smith told cops, according to the court documents.
It was also revealed that the vehicle Smith used to transport the body belonged to Vallelonga Jr’s brother, Nicholas, who told the police he didn’t give Smith permission to take his car.
According to the Bronx DA, Smith, who has since been indicted, failed to show up for his last court appearance. A warrant has been issued, and once he’s picked up, he will be arraigned.
Vallelonga Jr was perhaps best known for playing a relative of Viggo Mortensen‘s character in the Oscar-winning film Green Book, which was inspired by the life of Vallelonga Jr.’s father, Frank Vallelonga Sr., and written by his brother, Nicholas.
