Actor Ángel Salazar died from acute intoxication caused by the use of drugs including cocaine. The actor, famed for his roles as gun-toting gangster henchman Chi Chi in Brian De Palma’s ultra-violent 1983 version of drug smuggling epic ‘Scarface’, was said to have “passed away in his sleep” on 11 August in a bed at a friend’s home in Brooklyn, New York. It has now been reported the actor’s death was the result of combined effects from cocaine, cyclobenzaprine and diphenhydramine – a type of antihistamine.
Vascular disease arteriosclerosis and hypertensive cardiovascular disease were also said to have been listed by as contributing factors to Salazar’s death, TMZ reported, citing the New York Chief Medical Examiner's Office as the source of the information. It added the medical examiner ultimately ruled the actor’s death was accidental. Ángel’s representative Ann Wingsong said in August he “passed away in his sleep”.
She added his friend went in to check on him and discovered his deceased body lying in bed. Ms Wingsong added the actor had been previously suffering ongoing heart issues. Ángel became instantly recognisable to movie fans after playing Chi Chi in Brian De Palma’s brutal 1983 gangster film Scarface, based on a screenplay by now 78-year-old Oliver Stone.
His character was one of Al Pacino’s drug baron character Tony Montana’s most loyal sidekicks, and is seen saving the cocaine baron’s life during the film’s infamous chainsa.
