The death certificate issued for actress Elizabeth Peña shows "cirrhosis of the liver due to alcohol" as one of the four listed causes of her sudden death last week.
Craig Harvey, spokesman for the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner's office, said today the death certificate, on file with the county Public Health Department and a public record, was
signed by a private doctor.
It lists cardiopulmonary arrest, cardiogenic shock, and acute gastrointestinal bleeding as the three other causes of death.
Cirrhosis of the liver, or alcoholism, is a chronic disease. Therefore, Peña's death on Oct. 16 at Cedars Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles did not have to be reported to the medical examiner's office.
TMZ first reported the news today, adding that Peña had the disease for months but it became acute shortly before her death.
The death certificate sheds more light on Peña's unexpected death.The Cuban-American star was just 55 and no information was released by her family at the time about the how and why.
A star of movies such as Lone Star and La Bamba, Peña's career spanned four decades and included roles in films like Rush Hour, Jacob's Ladder and Free Willy 2.
She also appeared on TV in L.A. Law, Resurrection Blvd., and most recently, Modern Family, where she played the mother of Sofia Vergara's character, Gloria. She won four American Latino Media Arts (Alma) Awards.
She is survived by her husband, two children, mother and sister.
