Nicholas

Indiana officials have disclosed the official cause of death for “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” star Nicholas Brendon, who died in March.

The Putnam County Coroner confirmed in a report shared with The Times on Tuesday that the actor, best known for portraying the loyal and wisecracking Xander Harris, died of atherosclerotic and hypertensive cardiovascular disease. Acute pneumonia and a previous myocardial infarction — a heart attack — were listed as contributing factors in his death.

Brendon died March 20, his family announced in a statement on his social media pages. The family said he died of natural causes, which was also confirmed by the coroner’s report. The report also noted that Brendon had “90% blockage” in his right coronary artery. He was 54.

“He was passionate, sensitive, and endlessly driven to create,” his family said on Instagram in March. “Those who truly knew him understood that his art was one of the purest reflections of who he was.”

Prior to his death, Brendon experienced multiple health issues. He was hospitalized in 2022 after he was diagnosed with a congenital heart defect and after suffering a cardiac incident. The “Criminal Minds” star also underwent multiple spinal surgeries to manage cauda equina syndrome, a rare condition in which nerve bundle in the lumbar or sacral spine are compressed or not functioning properly. His serious spinal injury was triggered by a fall in 2021 that required emergency surgery to prevent paralysis, his manager Theresa Fortier said in a statement at the time.

The coroner’s report described the scene of Brendon’s death, noting that because of the actor’s “declining health” Fortier had spent more time with him and notified authorities of his passing. The report confirmed there were no “obvious signs” of foul play and that “nothing seemed out of place or disturbed” in Brendon’s home, which appeared to be under renovation. Fortier told officials that the actor — a longtime smoker — was dealing with a “persistent” cough, complaining about chest pain and “self-medicating” with over-the-counter drugs prior to his death, according to the report. Brendon also declined further medical treatment.

According to the report, Brendon also had a “markedly enlarged heart,” “moderate” blockage in some of his left arteries and small bowel inflammation.

In addition to “Buffy” and “Criminal Minds,” Brendon was known for roles in the TV series “Without a Trace,” “Private Practice” and “Kitchen Confidential.”

Times staff writer Clara Harter contributed to this report.

Nicholas Brendon, best known for portraying the loyal, wisecracking Xander Harris in “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” died Friday from natural causes after dealing with a congenital heart defect and other health issues in recent years. He was 54.

His family shared news of his passing in a statement posted on the actor’s social media accounts. While it’s “no secret Nicholas had struggles in the past,” they said, he was on medication to manage his diagnosis and “optimistic about the future” at the time of his death.

His siblings and parents asked for privacy as they grieve the loss of “a man who lived with intensity, imagination, and heart.”

“He was passionate, sensitive, and endlessly driven to create,” the family stated. “Those who truly knew him understood that his art was one of the purest reflections of who he was.”

Brendon was born in Los Angeles in 1971 and began his acting career in the mid-’90s. He got his big break in 1997 when he was cast as Harris in “Buffy.” Over the show’s seven-season run, Brendon became a central figure, portraying the witty, insecure but dependable “everyman” in the gang’s battles against the forces of darkness.

He starred in his first feature film, “Psycho Beach Party,” in 2000, playing the love interest Starcat in the indie flick that’s now regarded as a cult classic.

After “Buffy” ended in 2003, Brendon continued working in television, making appearances on series such as “Without a Trace,” “Private Practice,” and “Kitchen Confidential.” He also played a recurring role as FBI technical analyst Kevin Lynch on “Criminal Minds.”

In 2022, his family shared that he had been rushed to the hospital because of tachycardia, a condition that makes the heart beat abnormally fast, and had been diagnosed with a congenital heart defect that is common in twins. Brendon has an identical twin brother named Kelly Donovan, who appeared as his stand-in and double in episodes of “Buffy.”

The “Criminal Minds” star also underwent multiple spinal surgeries to manage cauda equina syndrome, a rare condition in which nerve bundles in the lumbar or sacral spine are compressed or not functioning properly. His serious spinal injury was triggered by a fall in 2021, which required emergency surgery to prevent paralysis, his manager Theresa Fortier said in a statement at the time.

In recent years, he developed a love for painting and the arts and enjoyed sharing his emerging talent with family and friends, his family said.

Former Times staff writer Nardine Saad contributed to this report.