Could Mold Have Killed Brittany Murphy?

(NewsCore Reports) - The pneumonia that killed Brittany Murphy and her husband Simon Monjack could have been caused by household mold, police told entertainment website TMZ on Sunday.

The Los Angeles County Coroner's Office is to investigate mold in the Los Angeles house where the couple were found dead on separate incidents -- as it is believed it may have caused the pair's respiratory problems that led to their deaths.

Last week a Los Angeles County coroner revealed they both died of acute pneumonia and severe anemia.

Monjack, a 39-year-old British screenwriter, was found dead in the house on May 23 just five months after Murphy, 32, died.

Murphy's death on December 20, 2009 was ruled to be a result of pneumonia, iron deficiency and multiple drug intoxication.

When asked about the cause of Monjack's death, Assistant Chief Coroner Ed Winter told CNN: "Just like Brittany."

Winter also confirmed they found prescription medication in Monjack's bloodstream -- but not in doses high enough to be lethal.

Now law enforcement sources believe mold could be relevant to the pair’s respiratory problems.

The issue of mold came up early during the investigation into Murphy’s death but it was deemed “not to be a contributing factor.”

It came up again during the investigation into Monjack’s death but Murphy’s mother Sharon refused to let the Los Angeles Coroner’s Office into the house to investigate the mold.

She has since agreed to an investigation.