“The Death Was Determined to Be an Accident”

“The Death Was Determined to Be an Accident”: Autopsy Reveals Tragic End for ‘Pulp Fiction’ Star Peter Greene

NEW YORK — Two months after he was discovered deceased in his Manhattan apartment, the New York City Chief Medical Examiner has released the final autopsy results for character actor Peter Greene. The report confirms that the Pulp Fiction and The Mask star died from a freak accidental gunshot wound, officially closing a mystery that has lingered since late last year.

Greene, whose menacing screen presence made him one of Hollywood’s most sought-after villains in the 1990s, was 60 years old.

The Medical Examiner’s Findings

According to the report released Wednesday 18th February the official cause of death was a "gunshot wound of the left axilla with injury of the brachial artery." In medical terms, the bullet entered the actor's armpit and severed a major artery responsible for supplying blood to the arm. The injury caused rapid, extensive internal bleeding. The Medical Examiner’s Office has officially classified the manner of death as an accident, noting the wound was self-inflicted but unintended.

A Somber Discovery

The timeline of the tragedy dates back to 12th December 2025, when Greene was found unresponsive in his Lower East Side apartment. The discovery was made during a police wellness check after neighbors reported hearing "Christmas music playing nonstop for more than 24 hours" from behind his locked door.

Authorities found Greene face-down with significant facial injuries and bloodstains. Despite the grim scene, investigators initially found no signs of foul play or forced entry, a theory now validated by the autopsy’s accidental ruling.

“I’m Still a Westie”

Intriguingly, sources close to the investigation confirmed that a handwritten note was found at the scene containing the phrase: “I’m still a Westie.”

The line refers to the "Westies," a notorious Irish-American criminal gang from Manhattan's Hell’s Kitchen, where Greene spent much of his youth. While some fans initially feared the note suggested a darker intent, his manager, Gregg Edwards, clarified that Greene had been in high spirits and was actively preparing for a major career comeback.

Legacy of a "Heart of Gold"

Greene rose to fame in 1994 with a dual-threat year, playing the sadistic security guard Zed in Quentin Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction and the elegant mob boss Dorian Tyrell in The Mask. His career was marked by a chilling ability to portray complex criminals, though friends say the man behind the roles was anything but.

“Nobody played a bad guy better than Peter,” Edwards told NBC News. “But he also had a gentle side that most people never saw, and a heart as big as gold. He fought his demons but overcame them.”

At the time of his death, Greene was reportedly several years sober and was scheduled to undergo surgery to remove a benign tumor near his lungs. He had also been cast alongside Mickey Rourke in the upcoming independent thriller Mascots, which was slated to begin filming in January 2026.

Greene is survived by a brother and a sister. With the release of the autopsy results, the industry says a final, tragic goodbye to one of the most distinctive character actors of his generation.