The mystery surrounding the death of actor Peter Greene has been solved.
TMZ reported on Wednesday that the Pulp Fiction actor, who was found deceased in his Manhattan apartment in December at age 60, died from an accidental gunshot wound.
The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in New York City told the site that Greene shot himself in the left armpit, damaging a major artery. Greene’s welfare came into question after neighbors reported loud Christmas music coming from his apartment for several days.
Authorities found Greene deceased on Dec. 12, and reports at the time did not specify that he had suffered a gunshot wound.
The actor, who memorably played the character Zed in Quentin Tarantino’s 1994 film, had previously revealed his struggles with addiction, sparking concern that drugs may have led to his death. A mysterious note found on his apartment door, including the line “I’m still a Westie”—a reference to the Irish-American gang that once operated out of Hell’s Kitchen—deepened questions about what happened to Greene.
Greene was still actively working and was slated to begin filming a thriller called Mascots alongside Mickey Rourke in January. According to his longtime manager, Gregg Edward, he was up for at least two other roles at the time of his passing.
Greene made a name for himself with several memorable villain roles in the 1990s, in films like Blue Streak and The Usual Suspects. Edward remembered the actor as a “really a good-hearted person and a brilliant, brilliant actor,” and “truly one of the great actors of our generation.”
