Michelle Trachtenberg’s Death Has No Criminal Suspicion

Michelle Trachtenberg, actress known and loved for her roles in Gossip Girl, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and more, was reported dead at 39 on February 26. Though details are still developing about the star’s untimely death, police have ruled that her passing contained no foul play.

According to People, the New York Police Department “responded to a 911 call on Wednesday morning about an unresponsive woman at 1 Columbus Place in Midtown Manhattan. When officers arrived at around 8:01 a.m., they found a 39-year-old woman, identified as Trachtenberg, unconscious. She was pronounced dead at the scene.”

After discovering Trachtenberg’s body, NYPD released a statement that revealed “criminality is not suspected. The Medical Examiner will determine the cause of death. The investigation remains ongoing.” The New York Post also reported that Trachtenberg received a liver transplant shortly before her death, and that her mother, Lana Trachtenberg, was the person who found her body at the scene before calling police and EMS.

While the cause of Trachtenberg’s death has yet to be determined, fans of the actress expressed their concerns for her health online via social media last year. The actress later shut down criticism saying via Instagram, “Fun fact. This is my face. Not malnutrition no problems. Why do you have to hate? Get a calendar.”

“I’ve received several comments recently about my appearance,” she wrote in a separate Instagram post. “I have never had plastic surgery I am happy and healthy. Check yourself haters.”

Trachtenberg’s legacy continued to live on through her work—in addition to her memorable roles in Gossip Girl and Buffy the Vampire Slayer, she also starred in EuroTrip, 17 Again, Inspector Gadget, Mysterious Skin, Ice Princess and Harriet the Spy.