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Martin Short’s frantic last call before daughter was found dead at 42

Martin Short was so concerned about his daughter Katherine that he called a friend to check on her before she was found dead in her Los Angeles home.

The Only Murders in the Building star, 76, grew deeply worried after not hearing from Katherine for over 24 hours, according to her newly released autopsy report obtained by the Daily Mail.

Katherine died in February at age 42 from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. 

The autopsy revealed that the friend went to Katherine’s home, where they found a note on her bedroom door, which was locked.  

The friend immediately dialed 911, prompting police to force entry into her bedroom.

Inside, officers found Katherine in bed, with a Glock 19 9mm pistol positioned underneath her chest. 

Martin Short, 76, was so concerned about his daughter Katherine that he called a friend to check on her before she was found dead in her Los Angeles home; The actor pictured May 6

Martin Short, 76, was so concerned about his daughter Katherine that he called a friend to check on her before she was found dead in her Los Angeles home; The actor pictured May 6

Katherine died in February at age 42 from a self-inflicted gunshot wound; Short seen with his daughter in 2011

Katherine died in February at age 42 from a self-inflicted gunshot wound; Short seen with his daughter in 2011

A suicide note was recovered at the scene.

The autopsy also noted that Katherine had a prior suicide attempt in 2017 involving pills as well as a documented history of depression and other mental illnesses. 

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BREAKING NEWS Martin Short addresses daughter’s death publicly for the first time two months after she passed away

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Katherine was eldest child of Short and Nancy Dolman.

Earlier this month Short opened up about his daughter’s suicide, saying her loss has ‘been a nightmare’ for all who loved her.

Short compared her battle with mental health to the cancer his wife, Nancy, faced. She died from the disease in 2010.

‘The understanding [is] that mental health and cancer, like my wife’s, are both diseases, and sometimes with diseases they are terminal,’ said the actor.

He also told CBS Sunday Mornings: ‘My daughter fought for a long time with extreme mental health, borderline personality disorder, other things, and did the best she could until she couldn’t.’

The Only Murders in the Building star grew deeply worried after not hearing from Katherine for over 24 hours, according to her newly released autopsy report; They are seen in 2006

The Only Murders in the Building star grew deeply worried after not hearing from Katherine for over 24 hours, according to her newly released autopsy report; They are seen in 2006

After finding a note on Katherine's locked bedroom door, the friend called 911, prompting police to force entry and discover Katherine's body; Short and his daughter seen in 2008

After finding a note on Katherine’s locked bedroom door, the friend called 911, prompting police to force entry and discover Katherine’s body; Short and his daughter seen in 2008

The autopsy also noted that Katherine had a prior suicide attempt in 2017 involving pills as well as a documented history of depression and other mental illnesses; Short and Katherine seen with Gavin B. Keilly and Tara-Jane Flynn in 2021

The autopsy also noted that Katherine had a prior suicide attempt in 2017 involving pills as well as a documented history of depression and other mental illnesses; Short and Katherine seen with Gavin B. Keilly and Tara-Jane Flynn in 2021

Earlier this month Short opened up about his daughter's suicide, saying her loss has 'been a nightmare' for all who loved her in an interview on CBS Sunday Mornings

Earlier this month Short opened up about his daughter’s suicide, saying her loss has ‘been a nightmare’ for all who loved her in an interview on CBS Sunday Mornings

Short said his aim was to support a mental health awareness organization founded by Glenn Close called Bringchange2mind.

He said the non-profit aims to take ‘mental health out of the shadows’.

Short shared a moving message that touched on how he hopes struggles with mental health can be understood.

‘Not being ashamed of it, not hiding from the word suicide, but accepting that this can be the last stage of an illness – and that’s my approach to this,’ he said.

Katherine was one of three children whom Short and his wife adopted.

His daughter was a licensed clinical social worker with a master’s degree from the University of Southern California.

Her loss ‘devastated’ the actor and her brothers Oliver Patrick, 39, and Henry Hayter, 36.

But his experience with bereavement gave Short a poignant perspective on his daughter’s decision to end her life.

Katherine was one of three children adopted by Short and his late wife Nancy Dolman during their 30-year marriage. She's pictured right with her parents and brother Oliver Patrick in 1989

Katherine was one of three children adopted by Short and his late wife Nancy Dolman during their 30-year marriage. She’s pictured right with her parents and brother Oliver Patrick in 1989

When Nancy was dying from ovarian cancer in 2010 at the age of 58, her last words to him, he said, were ‘Marty, let me go’.

He told CBS Sunday Mornings that in his mind, his daughter Katherine was just in her own way saying: ‘Dad, let me go.’

His daughter’s passing came just weeks after the death of his friend and collaborator of five decades Catherine O’Hara, and two months after the murders of his close friends Rob and Michele Reiner.

O’Hara died from a pulmonary embolism at 71 on January 30, with rectal cancer identified as the underlying long-term cause.

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