‘Goodfellas’ Actor Ray Liotta's Cause of Death Has Been Revealed
Updated May 9 2023, 11:17 a.m. ET
In May 2022, Hollywood icon Ray Liotta died at the age of 67. TMZ shared that the Goodfellas star was in the Dominican Republic in order to film a new project at the time of his death.
Whenever a beloved public figure dies, fans naturally wonder about the cause of their death. Over the course of his several decades in the industry, Ray gained many fans who not only enjoyed his work in film and television but also rooted for him on a personal level. His loss will be deeply felt by many for years to come.
What was Ray Liotta’s cause of death?
At the time of his death, a source close to Ray claimed he died in his sleep while in the Dominican Republic, where he was filming Dangerous Waters, a thriller directed by John Barr.
Nearly a year later, in May 2023, details of his autopsy were made public. Officials have confirmed that Ray Liotta died "as a result of atherosclerotic disease, which is the build-up of fats, cholesterol, and other substances in and on the artery walls," per CBS News.
Other contributing factors were pulmonary edema, a condition that involves too much fluid in the lungs, and heart and respiratory failure. Jennifer Allen, a publicist for the actor, confirmed to CBS News that he died in his sleep.
Ray Liotta leaves behind a daughter, Karsen Liotta, and his fiancée, Jacy Nittolo.
In February of 1997, Ray married actress and producer Michelle Grace. The two of them share a daughter, Karsen Liotta, who was born in December of 1998. Ray and Michelle divorced in 2004. Karsen, now 23 years old, has followed in her parents’ footsteps and entered the film industry as an actress herself. She appeared in Hubie Halloween and had a recurring role in Shades of Blue.
On June 9, 2022, Karsen took to Instagram to share a sweet tribute to her late father. Alongside a photo of Ray holding her as a child, Karsen wrote, "Those who knew him, loved him. You are the best Dad anyone could ask for. I love you. Thank you for everything."
Ray’s fiancée, Jacy Nittolo, shared news of the couple’s engagement by posting an announcement picture on Instagram on Christmas Day in 2020. Both Jacy’s and Ray’s public-facing social media accounts are filled with images of the two of them happily spending time together.
TMZ reported that Jacy was with Ray in the Dominican Republic at the time of his death. Our thoughts are with his family, loved ones, and fans around the world.
