New details have emerged in the wake of Katherine Hartley Short’s tragic death, which has officially been ruled a suicide.
Katherine, the only daughter of actor Martin Short, was cremated on Friday, February 27, after she died at her California home on Monday, February 23, according to her death certificate. She was 42.
The certificate listed her occupation as a social work therapist, noting that she obtained her master’s degree. (Katherine also had a part-time job at the Amae Health clinic.) She worked in the mental health field for 10 years and never married.
Katherine was found dead inside of her Hollywood Hills residence after Los Angeles Police Department officers and Los Angeles Fire Department firefighters rushed to the scene.
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Law enforcement sources previously told TMZ that she was discovered “behind a locked door and with a note nearby.” Katherine was located by a friend who did a welfare check after she hadn’t been heard from for a day.
The friend who called 911 said they were at Katherine’s home in the Hollywood Hills but unable to enter a bedroom at the residence, as heard in dispatch audio obtained by the outlet.
The LAPD confirmed to Us Weekly that officers responded to a radio call of a possible suicide attempt on Monday, February 23, at 6:43 p.m. The LAPD said responding officers found a deceased female upon arrival..
Martin, 75, adopted Katherine with his late wife, Nancy Dolman. The couple also shared adopted sons Oliver, 39, and Henry, 36. Martin and Dolman tied the knot in 1989 and remained married until her death. (Nancy died at 58 in August 2010 after battling ovarian cancer.)
“It is with profound grief that we confirm the passing of Katherine Hartley Short. The Short family is devastated by this loss and asks for privacy at this time,” the actor’s rep told Us in a statement. “Katherine was beloved by all and will be remembered for the light and joy she brought into the world.”
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One of Katherine’s neighbors exclusively told Us that she gave “no indication of struggle” before her death. “Katherine was a private person but that doesn’t mean she wasn’t friendly. She was quite outgoing,” the neighbor fondly recalled.
More than a decade before her death, Katherine filed to change her name to “Katherine Elizabeth Hartley” due to the nature of her career in October 2012. “My father is a public figure. I am a psychiatric social worker,” Katherine explained in court documents obtained by Us.
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