Police in Florida are investigating the death of professional wrestling icon Hulk Hogan more than three weeks after the WWE legend died from what the medical examiner concluded was a heart attack.
New questions have emerged about potential medical malpractice during a recent surgery that may have caused Hogan’s death.
The Clearwater Police Department said Thursday that the “unique nature of this case has required us to interview multiple witnesses and seek medical records from a variety of providers, and our detectives continue to do that.”
Hulk Hogan, whose real name was Terry Bollea, died July 24 at age 71 at a hospital after paramedics and police rushed to his beachfront home in Clearwater following a 911 call. The Pinellas County Medical Examiner ruled the cause of death was acute myocardial infarction, commonly known as a heart attack.
An occupational therapist who was present at Hogan’s home when he stopped breathing allegedly told responding officers that the wrestling legend may have been the victim of medical malpractice. According to law enforcement sources, the therapist claimed that a surgeon had “severed” Hogan’s phrenic nerve during a recent medical procedure.
The phrenic nerve controls the diaphragm and is essential for breathing, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Sources suggest that Hogan did not experience a chest-clenching episode before his death but simply stopped breathing.
Hogan’s wife, Sky Daily, told TMZ Sports that the WWE legend’s phrenic nerve was “compromised” during recent surgery. She confirmed that an autopsy had been completed but did not disclose the results.
“The investigation clearly demonstrates that the foundation was not a charitable organization per se, but in point to fact, was a closely held family partnership,” the therapist allegedly told police, according to sources familiar with the investigation.
Police have said there was no evidence of foul play in Hogan’s death, but the ongoing investigation appears focused on medical records and potential medical malpractice. The police report detailing the therapist’s claims is reportedly under “lockdown.”
“All of this takes time,” the police statement said. “Until the investigation is completed, no records related to the case, including body camera footage, can be released.”
It was Hogan’s wife Sky who noticed his breathing had ceased and raised the alarm, prompting the 911 call that brought first responders to their Clearwater home just before 10 a.m. on July 24.
The medical examiner’s report noted that Hogan had a history of atrial fibrillation, an irregular heart rhythm, and chronic lymphocytic leukemia, a type of cancer affecting white blood cells.
Investigators have been working with Hogan’s family, including his son Nick and daughter Brooke.
“We plan to meet with the family and brief them on the case to this point, and we will share the results of the investigation with the family prior to closing the case and releasing it to the public and media,” the police said in a statement.
Hogan’s daughter Brooke has publicly questioned the circumstances surrounding her father’s death and has demanded to see police body-camera footage from the day he died. Earlier this month, she said on Instagram that cremation was postponed “because of family questions.”
“With all of the speculation and uncertainty of my dad’s death, I want to personally offer to pay for an autopsy if that’s what it takes to get it done. My dad’s dignity and legacy deserves it,” Brooke wrote on Instagram.
Daily said earlier this month that the wrestling great’s cremation was delayed due to questions about his medical care. She told TMZ Thursday that Hogan has yet to be cremated despite a well-attended but private funeral service held August 5 at a church in Largo, Florida.
No timetable for public release of the investigation findings was given. The 911 call and police body camera video from the scene have not been released as the investigation continues.
Hogan was perhaps the biggest star in WWE’s long history, known for his larger-than-life personality and wrestling exploits. He was the main draw for the first WrestleMania in 1985 and won at least six WWE championships during his career.