According to a Travis County Medical Examiner’s autopsy report obtained by RadarOnline.com on Monday, the official cause of death of three-time Daytime Emmy Award winner Billy Miller (“The Young and the Restless,” “General Hospital” et al.) has been ruled a suicide.
The actor, who reportedly struggled with bipolar depression, was found by paramedics inside the bathtub of his Austin, Texas home on Saturday, September 16, and was pronounced dead at the scene.
**TRIGGER WARNING**
Miller was found deceased “with an apparent gunshot wound to the head,” the report says, adding, “Multiple letters indicating suicidal intent and instructions for others were found at the scene. A revolver chambered for .410 shotgun shells was found in the decedent’s right hand.”
Before his death, a toxicology report found that Miller had consumed a cocktail of drugs and medications as demonstrated by the “presence of ethanol, cocaine, and its metabolites, diphenhydramine, and amphetamine.”
Miller’s blood alcohol level registered at 0.08, RadarOnline.com reported.
The 19-page autopsy report was signed off by Chief Medical Examiner J. Keith Pinckard, MD, PhD on November 14, 2023. The cause of death statement indicates Miller’s cause of death as “gunshot wound of head.” The manner of death is listed as “suicide.”
Born William John Miller II, the beloved actor died just days shy of his 44th birthday.
“He fought a long hard valiant battle with bipolar depression for years. He did everything he could to control the disease. He loved his family, his friends and his fans but in the end the disease won the fight and he surrendered his life,” said Miller’s mother, Patricia, in a statement released a few days after her son’s passing.
In November, the University of Texas at Austin, in conjunction with the Miller family, announced a permanent scholarship endowment that would help radio/television and film undergraduate students with financial need.
“We want something positive to be held in his name in perpetuity through the University he loved,” his sister Megan Hubbell said of the scholarship. “He would be honored to know that even in death, he can help someone else realize their dreams.” Click here to donate.
Miller was one of just 20 students accepted into the University of Texas at Austin’s prestigious production sequence program in radio/television and film. He originally joined the school in the zoology program before switching. UT was reportedly Miller’s first choice, even though he had several options presented to him post-high school.
Miller caught his big acting break in 2007 playing Richie Novak on “All My Children.” He made his television debut one year earlier appearing in an episode of “CSI: NY.”
Shortly after his departure from the ABC soap in 2008, Miller went on to star as Billy Abbott on “The Young and the Restless” where he would receive five Daytime Emmy Award nominations for his portrayal, ultimately taking home three statues, including two for Supporting Actor (2010, 2013) and one for Lead Actor (2014).
After concluding his time on “The Young and the Restless” in early 2014, Miller would later join “General Hospital,” first as Jason Morgan and then as Drew Cain when it was revealed that Drew was actually Jason’s (Steve Burton) twin brother.
Following his exit from the soap in 2019, Miller went on to make guest appearances on such shows as “Truth Be Told,” “The Rookie” and “NCIS.”
If you or someone you know is contemplating suicide or affected by issues raised in this article, please contact the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by dialing 988, texting the Crisis Text Line at 988 or going to 988lifeline.org.