Aubrey Plaza has revealed that she received a text three hours before her 47-year-old husband sadly passed away.
Jeff Baena, best known for his work on Horse Girl and Life After Beth, was found dead in his Los Angeles home on January 3, 2025, after dying by suicide.
His dog walker discovered his body after arriving at the house as scheduled, reporting that loud music was playing, which she described as "unusual".
While Baena and Plaza were married for three years, a new report from the Los Angeles medical examiner has revealed that the couple had been separated since September 2024 - just four months before his death.
According to E! News, the Parks and Recreation alum, 40, was in contact with Baena just hours before his death, exchanging a text message three hours before he was found dead.
Additionally, Plaza spoke with him over the phone the night before he died.
The report also states that Plaza had been concerned for Baena’s well-being as early as October 2024, one month after their separation.
She reportedly became alarmed after Baena made "concerning remarks", which led her to ask a friend to perform a welfare check on him.
Following the incident, Baena began attending therapy, according to the medical examiner’s report.
The medical examiner’s report noted that Baena had been dealing with personal difficulties, stating: "According to the reported information, the decedent Jeffrey Baena is a 47-year-old Caucasian male.
"He was experiencing recent marital difficulties and was separated from his wife since September 2024."
The report also revealed that Baena had "no previous suicide attempts" but had a history of "difficulty sleeping".
Following Baena’s passing, Plaza and his family released a joint statement to E! News, calling his death: "An unimaginable tragedy. We are deeply grateful to everyone who has offered support. Please respect our privacy during this time."
Baena’s family later honored his life and work in a heartfelt obituary, writing: "His films reflected a carefully crafted balance of the logical and the implausible. His juxtaposition of intellect and creativity challenged us."
The tribute described him as “a true relationship builder with a gift for bringing people together,” adding: "No one ever left his get-togethers as a stranger."
Weeks after Baena’s passing, Plaza made her first public appearance at the SNL 50 celebration, wearing a black blazer over a tie-dye shirt - a look many interpreted as a touching tribute to her late husband.
In a 2021 interview on The Drew Barrymore Show, Plaza revealed that tie-dye held a special meaning in their relationship, including being incorporated into their wedding day.
"Jeff got really into tie-dying during the [Covid-19] quarantine," she shared.
"So I decided that Jeff and I were going to wear tie-dye pajamas that he had made for us."
She also described their intimate wedding ceremony, recalling: "I made, like, a love altar in the backyard of all our love objects, [and] it was very witch-core."
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