[UPDATED] Heath Ledger found dead in New York

Posted Tuesday, January 22, 2008 at 4:08 PM Central

by John Couture

Details are still sketchy, but CNN and various news outlets are confirming that actor Heath Ledger was discovered dead in a Manhattan apartment today. Ledger was set to re-imagine The Joker in this year's The Dark Knight.

Celebrity gossip site PerezHilton.com is reporting that the cause of death might be a drug overdose and that one of the Olsen twins may have been with him when he died.

Ledger was engaged to his Brokeback Mountain co-star Michelle Williams who gave birth to their daughter in October of 2005. They called off their engagement in September of last year.

The young actor was only 28 years old.

UPDATE: Various outlets are continuing to update this unfolding story. Heath was discovered in an apartment owned by Mary-Kate Olsen, but that the actress is currently in California.

The actor was discovered naked, face-down on the floor of the bedroom and that prescription pills were strewn across the bed. The police do not suspect foul play, but an autopsy will be performed tomorrow.