Robert Pastorelli found dead

Mar 10, 2004 by Ian Evans

Robert Pastorelli, who played the artistic housepainter Eldin on Murphy Brown, was found dead in his home at the age of 49.

Lt. Ed Winter of the coroner’s office said that Pastorelli was found dead by his assistant Monday in a bathroom. Toxicology tests could take several weeks for conclusive results.

“It’s a possible accidental death,” Winter said. “There was drug paraphernalia found.”

Pastorelli recently finished work on the John Travolta vehicle Be Cool, a sequel to Get Shorty.

On TV, the actor appeared on Murphy Brown from 1988 to 1994. He also played a police psychologist in the ABC series Cracker in 1997-98.