The untimely death of Brittany Murphy was a tragedy, but the mysterious circumstances in which she died have led to speculation that Simon Monjack was to blame for her death. Director Allison Burnett recounted in the "What Happened, Brittany Murphy?" documentary that he had noted Monjack to be a serial liar when they first met, as he had claimed to have dated Madonna, survived terminal brain cancer, and told other questionable stories. Additionally, Monjack's ex-fiancé Elizabeth Ragsdale spoke about his criminal history and alleged that he threatened to keep their son from her if Ragsdale informed Murphy of his abusive behavior (via Esquire).
Monjack had taken on the role of his wife's agent, manager, and makeup artist in the time leading up to her death, in a seemingly controlling ploy. After she died, there were questions about why he didn't get her the medical help she needed. Murphy's coroner explained, "The cause of death is not a mystery. The mystery is, why didn't somebody catch it? Had they taken her to the doctor a few days before, she would still be alive." Per the Daily Mail, Monjack denied he was too controlling, and even blamed Warner Bros. for Murphy's death. The studio rebuffed his allegations, calling his claims "reprehensible."
The actor, Monjack, and her mother had all been living together, and when she died, the two mourners continued cohabiting. On May 23, 2010, Monjack died from pneumonia and anemia, six months after Murphy.
