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Autopsy Rules Josh Mauro’s April Death an Accidental Overdose

Police records plus toxicology results show a multi-day drug binge involving alcohol preceded the fatal overdose.

Overview

  • The Maricopa County Medical Examiner concluded the manner of death was accidental after an autopsy and toxicology found fentanyl, cocaine and ethanol in Mauro’s system.
  • Phoenix Police Department case files obtained by journalists describe a four-day period of heavy drug and alcohol use before Mauro was found at his Phoenix home on April 23, 2026.
  • A woman who attended a party at Mauro’s house told police he and a friend were snorting cocaine and drinking tequila in the hours before he was discovered and that she tried to revive him after finding him unresponsive.
  • Officers documented drug paraphernalia near Mauro’s body, including a bottle cap with a white substance, white powder beside a rolled-up dollar bill, bloodstained tissues and a syringe, according to the police evidence log.
  • The reports update public understanding of Mauro’s death but do not show new criminal charges or active investigative developments, and they note Mauro’s family has publicly mourned the 35-year-old former NFL defensive end who played eight seasons.