“The Wire” star James Ransone’s cause of death has been revealed.
The actor died by suicide, according to a Dec. 29 death certificate obtained by People on Wednesday.
Ransone’s Dec. 19 passing was first ruled an apparent suicide by the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner.
Ransone was best known for his role as Ziggy Sobotka in “The Wire.” He also appeared in popular movies like “Sinister” (2012), “Sinister 2” (2015), “It Chapter Two (2019), “The Black Phone” (2021) and “Black Phone 2” (2025).
His final acting appearance was in a Season 2 episode of “Poker Face” that aired in June 2025.
Two days after Ransone’s death, his wife Jamie McPhee posted a heart-wrenching Instagram where she mourned her husband’s passing.
“I told you I have loved you 1000 times before and I know I will love you again,” McPhee wrote. “You told me – I need to be more like you and you need to be more like me – and you were so right.”
McPhee also thanked Ransone for giving her “the greatest gifts,” their 6-year-old son, Jack, and 4-year-old daughter, Violet.
A GoFundMe page was created to help the mother of two and her children “navigate life after an unimaginable loss.”
“Its purpose is simple: to give Jamie the space to focus fully on Jack and Violet, to care for them, protect their sense of security, and ensure they have a bright future—even without James’s light present in their everyday lives,” the fundraising page shared.
The fundraiser has raised more than $229,000 as of Thursday morning.
Several Hollywood figures paid tribute to Ransone after his death.
Director Spike Lee wrote on Instagram, “Rest In Peace To My Dear Brother, Mr. James Ransone. We Rocked Together On Red Hook Summer And Inside Man.”
Natasha Lyonne, whom Ransone worked with on “Poker Face,” said in a message to Ransone’s widow, “Love you with everything I got and holding our beloved brilliant peejo with grace gratitude and cosmic peace into this life and the next — family forever.”
Ransone’s “The Wire” co-star Wendell Pierce reacted to the tragedy on X, writing, “Sorry I couldn’t be there for you, brother. Rest in Peace James Ransone.”
Ransone was open about his struggles with addiction before his death.
In 2016, he revealed in an Interview Magazine story that he got sober at age 27 “after being on heroin for five years.”
The late star also shared in 2021 that he was sexually abused by his former tutor when he was a child.
The alleged abuse led to a “lifetime of shame and embarrassment” for Ransone, who told his former tutor his actions propelled him to become an alcoholic and a heroin addict.
If you are struggling with suicidal thoughts or are experiencing a mental health crisis and live in New York City, you can call 1-888-NYC-WELL for free and confidential crisis counseling. If you live outside the five boroughs, you can dial the 24/7 National Suicide Prevention hotline at 988 or go to SuicidePreventionLifeline.org.
