The Los Angeles County medical examiner has ruled that comedian Ken Flores died of accidental cocaine toxicity, seven months after the 28-year-old was found dead in his Los Angeles home in January 2025.
The examiner’s report, released this week, listed cocaine toxicity as the primary cause of death and identified congestive heart failure as a contributing condition. Toxicology results showed only the presence of cocaine; the report found no alcohol, fentanyl, methamphetamine, opiates or other drugs in Flores’ system.
Flores, described by friends and colleagues as a rising stand-up comedian, died in January at his Los Angeles residence. Media outlets that first reported his death said initial information was limited; the medical examiner’s findings provide the first official determination of cause.
The report described the death as accidental. It noted Flores had been suffering from congestive heart failure, a chronic condition in which the heart cannot pump blood effectively, and that the condition contributed to his death. According to earlier media reports, Flores had expressed concern about his heart condition and had been attempting to improve his health in the weeks before his death.
Flores had attracted attention on the comedy circuit for his stand-up work and social media presence. His death prompted expressions of grief from peers and fans, who noted his growing profile in Los Angeles’ comedy community.
The Los Angeles County medical examiner’s office compiles cause-of-death determinations after completing autopsies and toxicology testing; such reports can take months to finalize depending on the circumstances and pending laboratory results. The examiner’s finding that only cocaine was present in the comedian’s system contrasts with a broader public health concern about deaths involving fentanyl, which has been implicated in rising overdose deaths nationwide.
There was no immediate public comment from Flores’ family or representatives following the release of the medical examiner’s report. Further details about the circumstances leading to his death, including any ongoing investigations, were not disclosed in the report.
Florida-born Flores was 28 at the time of his death. The medical examiner’s ruling closes the official inquiry into his cause of death while underscoring the combined risks of stimulant use and underlying cardiac conditions.