Authorities have revealed how Soap star Morgan Stevens passed away, People reports.
Known for his roles on Melrose Place, Fame, and A Year in the Life, the actor was found dead at his home on January 26 at the age of 70.
The Los Angeles County Coroner's Office confirmed on Thursday that Stevens died of natural causes due to arteriosclerosis cardiovascular disease.
Arteriosclerosis is a disease where the arteries which carry blood from the heart thicken or harden. It can often restrict bloody flow to the vital organs and reduce oxygen supply. In severe cases where a major artery is blocked, patients may suffer heart attacks, strokes, blood clots or death.
Los Angeles Police Department found Stevens thanks to a concerned neighbor, who asked that they conduct a wellness check when he hadn't been seen or heard from for several days, TMZ reports.
Officers found the actor in his kitchen around 11 AM and pronounced him dead at the scene. There was little suspicion of foul play - a conclusion that the County Coroner's Office confirmed on Thursday.
Stevens - whose real name was Calvin Morgan Stevens - was born on October 16, 1951, in Knoxville, Tennessee. Daily Mail reports that he joined the Coast Guard while at college and was stationed near New York, where he saw several Broadway shows which sparked a love of acting.
After switching majors to theatre arts, Stevens began working as an actor in the 70s. He eventually landed his breakout role playing teacher David Reardon on the first two seasons of Fame.
Steven's went on to appear in a string of hit shows including The Love Boat, Airwold, Magnum P.I., MacGyver, and Murder She Wrote throughout the 80s.
He also starred alongside Sarah Jessica Parker in A Year in the Life, before his career was briefly ended by a run-in with the law.
In August 1989, the actor was arrested under suspicion of DUI following a car accident. Although a blood alcohol test cleared him of the charge, Stevens later filed a lawsuit against LAPD who he claimed assaulted him brutally while in custody. A settlement for an undisclosed amount was reached.
In 1992 Stevens returned to the small screen, playing Nick Diamond in the hit drama Melrose Place. After appearing in a 1999 episode of Walker, Texas Ranger, he unofficially retired from acting and was not seen on screen again.
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