There was reportedly no foul play involved in the shocking death of fitness guru Richard Simmons.
A police investigation has been launched after Simmons, 76, was found dead in his Los Angeles home on Saturday, July 13 after suffering a fall in his bathroom the night before.
“The Los Angeles Police Department is not treating the investigation as a crime at this point,” a law enforcement source said. PEOPLE Thursday.
The preliminary cause of Simmons’ death was released Monday by the Los Angeles Fire Department after it was confirmed that police were investigating the matter.
A statement announced that Simmons had died of “apparent natural causes.”
There was reportedly no foul play involved in the shocking death of fitness expert Richard Simmons, seen in 2013
‘On July 13, 2024, at 9:55 a.m., the LAFD responded to a suspected death incident in the 1300 block of N Belfast Drive,’ said LAFD Capt. Erik Scott. Entertainment tonight.
“On arrival, a rescue ambulance discovered a 76-year-old man who was pronounced dead at the scene by firefighters and paramedics due to apparent natural causes. As a result, no transfer to hospital was necessary,” he concluded.
Police officers and firefighters were dispatched to Simmons’ Los Angeles home after receiving a call from his housekeeper.
Simmons was found dead just one day after celebrating his 76th birthday.
Police officials confirmed that PEOPLE on Monday that Simmons’ death was under further investigation and that the case had been deferred by the Medical Examiner’s Office, which is requesting that further investigation and testing be conducted, the outlet reported.
The review could take up to three months until an official ruling is issued, the outlet reported.
Authorities pronounced Simmons dead at the scene, the outlet reported, and no foul play was suspected in connection with the death, which was being investigated as natural causes.
Members of the Los Angeles Police Department’s Robbery-Homicide Division also responded to the call due to the high-profile person who had died, the outlet reported.
Police later told the outlet that Simmons had fallen in the bathroom of his home on Friday — marking his 76th birthday — and that his housekeeper had attempted to persuade him to seek immediate medical help.
Simmons declined because it was his birthday and he didn’t want to go anywhere, and informed her that he could come on Saturday. The housekeeper helped him safely return to his bedroom, where she found him the next morning on the floor around 10 a.m., according to the outlet.
“The Los Angeles Police Department is not pursuing the investigation as a crime at this time,” a law enforcement source told PEOPLE on Thursday; seen in 2013
A police investigation was launched after Simmons, 76, was found dead in his Los Angeles home on Saturday, July 13 after suffering a fall in his bathroom the night before; police were seen at Simmons’ home on July 13
One source told the outlet that Simmons had said he felt “dizzy” before falling, while another source said Simmons “showed no obvious or outward signs of injury” after falling.
It was not immediately clear whether the fall and feeling of dizziness were related to her death.
Simmons acknowledged his legion of adoring fans in a moving interview with People on Thursday, just two days before he died.
At the conclusion of the interview, the outlet told the fitness entrepreneur that he had been “missed” after keeping a low profile for the past decade, and asked if he understood the affection fans had for him.
“I know people miss me,” Simmons told the outlet. “And you know what? I miss them, too. But I can communicate with them through phone calls… and emails.”
Simmons also revealed in her final interview that she had gone public hiding her appearance.
“I do go out sometimes,” Simmons said. “But I wear a costume.”
The outlet reported that the interview with Simmons just before his passing was his first since 2014, the year he stopped making public appearances.
The preliminary cause of Simmons’ death was released Monday by the Los Angeles Fire Department after it was confirmed that police were investigating the matter; seen in 2013
Police officials confirmed to PEOPLE on Monday that Simmons’ death was under further investigation and that the case had been deferred by the Medical Examiner’s Office, which is calling for a more thorough investigation and further testing, according to the outlet; seen in 2013
The New Orleans-born star, who had been a fixture on television promoting her ventures in the fitness industry (including studios, books, weight-loss programs and videos), had been at the center of speculation over the past decade after she stopped making public appearances, fueling speculation about her safety and well-being.
Sources close to the late celebrity told the outlet that the reason she retreated from the public eye was a knee surgery she had undergone and a second knee surgery she had refused to undergo.
Simmons told People on Thursday that she also had a skin cancer scare after undergoing a procedure to remove it earlier this year.
“Basal cell carcinoma was a scary thing,” Simmons said of the disease. “But it never came back.”
Simmons told the outlet that she strives to spread optimism and positivity to those facing similar health challenges.
“There are a lot of people who have cancer,” Simmons said. “I call them, I sing to them: ‘You’re going to get through this. You just have to believe it.'”
Simmons told the outlet that he had been collaborating on a musical with composer Patrick Leonard in recent months.
“I’ve written 14 songs for a Broadway show,” he said. “And I’m working with an incredible man: Patrick Leonard. I don’t know if you know his name, but he wrote music for Madonna and Elton John. He’s one of the greats.”
“We talk a couple of times a week. I write the lyrics and he writes the music. The whole show is about my life, from selling chocolates in a candy store in New Orleans as a kid until I decided to retire.”
Simmons had been gradually re-emerging his public persona, communicating on X/Twitter, Facebook and YouTube earlier this year, and via email with fans.
She told People on Thursday: “Today is a beautiful day, but nothing is really different. I got up this morning, said my prayers, counted my blessings and then went to work.
The fitness entrepreneur was photographed at a March 1999 event at the University of Nebraska.
Sources close to the late celebrity told the outlet that the reason he retired from public life was a knee surgery he had undergone and a second knee surgery he had refused to undergo. Photographed in New York in 2006
Simmons told the outlet that he had been collaborating on a musical with composer Patrick Leonard in recent months. Pictured in October 2013
“You know, I write messages, I answer emails… and when the email is really extreme, I ask for their numbers and I call them. It feels really good because I’m helping people.”
Her last social media post was on Saturday, quoting a line from the 1968 musical comedy Funny Girl.
When Simmons was asked about his low-key interactions with his fans, he told the outlet that his measure of success was the number of people he had provided assistance and inspiration to.
“Well, when I decided to retire, it was because my body told me I needed to retire,” Simmons said. “I’ve spent time just reflecting on my life. All the books I wrote, the videos.
“I never thought, ‘Look what I’ve done.’ I was interested in, ‘Look how many people I’ve helped.'”