Cause of death of 80s sitcom child star, who was found dead with service dog, revealed

The cause of death for former ALF actor Benji Gregory has been revealed. According to the Maricopa County medical examiner’s office in Arizona, Gregory died from “environmental heat exposure in the setting of hepatic cirrhosis,” and his death has been ruled an accident.

Gregory, known for his role as young Brian Tanner on the 1980s sitcom ALF, was found deceased on June 13 in his vehicle, alongside his service dog, Hans. His sister, Rebecca Hertzberg-Pfaffinger, shared the tragic news on Facebook, noting that Gregory was 46. She described him as a loving son, brother, and uncle, and recalled moments of both laughter and sorrow as she went through his belongings.

Hertzberg-Pfaffinger explained that Gregory likely went to deposit residuals from his work on ALF on the evening of June 12 but never left his car. He fell asleep and succumbed to heatstroke due to the extreme temperatures.

TMZ reported that Gregory had been struggling with depression, bipolar disorder, and a sleep disorder, which may have contributed to his unfortunate fate. On the day of his death, temperatures in Peoria, Arizona, soared to 108 degrees, with prolonged heat warnings in effect, as noted by Fox10 Phoenix and National Weather Service records.