Actor's overdose was not suicide
By PETER MITCHELL in Los Angeles (Aug 06, 2003)

The Englishman who affected a thick Australian accent and promoted himself as an Australian in Hollywood was found dead in his North Hollywood home on June 8.

He had a starring role in the TV show JAG and his latest big screen performance was in the hit movie Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl.

The Los Angeles County Department of Coroner initially suspected the 37-year-old had committed suicide.

"The findings of the autopsy have established the cause of death to be multiple drug intoxication," coroner's spokesman David Campbell said.

"The coroner has ruled the death accidental."

Mr Campbell said an autopsy performed on June 10 found heroin, cocaine and the prescription drugs Valium and Vicodin in Goddard's body.

Goddard's father Eric shocked mourners at a wake for the actor in LA with the revelation that Goddard was not Australian.

Goddard had made up a fictitious but colourful story about himself growing up in Perth and moving to the US to become a professional boxer.