Cause of death of Richard Simmons is under investigation

The official cause of death of famous fitness guru Richard Simmons is currently under investigation, according to several reports.

Simmons died Saturday at his home in Los Angeles, one day after his 76th birthday. No other key details about his death were released as of Sunday afternoon, but authorities suspected no evidence of foul play.

Then on Monday, the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office said Simmons’ cause of death had been “deferred” pending an investigation and necessary additional tests. It may take weeks or months for authorities to close the case with a cause of death, People magazine and the Los Angeles Times reported.

Scripps News has reached out to the Los Angeles Police Department and the Los Angeles County Coroner’s Office but has not yet received a response.

Police sources reported that Simmons’ housekeeper called emergency services to his home on Saturday morning and that his death was pronounced at the scene.

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Born in New Orleans, Louisiana, Simmons spent the first 18 years of his life in the French Quarter with his mother, a dancer, his father, a presenter, and his brother, with whom he shared a room, the Historic New Orleans Collection museum wrote in a history of his life.

In 1974, he opened a gym called Slimmons in Beverly Hills, California, aimed at people who might be hesitant to work out in the presence of already fit people, according to a report on IMDB.

Simmons became a household name, selling several books he wrote and millions of fitness DVDs and videos promoting a healthy and positive lifestyle. He also starred in various television shows, including four years on the popular soap opera “General Hospital,” and was a frequent guest on late-night talk shows.

However, more than a decade ago, Simmons retired from the public eye, closed his gym, and was largely out of the public eye for years. Still, he kept in touch with his fans through social media. In one of his last known messages, he thanked his followers for their birthday wishes.

Two days before his death, Simmons spoke humbly about the legacy he would leave behind in an interview with People.

“I’m grateful to be here and to be alive for another day,” he told the publication. “I’m going to spend my birthday doing what I do every day, which is helping people.”