Tawny Kitaen: No Foul Play Suspected in Death

Tawny Kitaen suddenly passed away on May 7 at the age of 59. While an exact cause of death is not yet known, no foul play is suspected.

Jordan Kitaen, Tawny’s brother, told TMZ that police informed the family that there wasn’t anything suspicious (i.e. “drugs, pills or alcohol…and no signs she took her own life”) at the scene of her death.

TMZ would also report, “Jordan says Tawny was devastated by the recent death of her father, who passed away April 12 after a long battle with skin cancer. He believes the death was too much for Tawny’s system to handle, especially because their dad’s funeral was just days away when she died…Jordan tells us he last spoke with Tawny Thursday, the night before she died, and she was in a good mood and excited about Mother’s Day plans with her kids.”

As previously reported, news of Kitaen’s death began to spread on Twitter the night of her death, but no outlet had confirmation until the morning of May 8 when TMZ reported she died in Newport Beach, Calif. on May 7. Her death was later confirmed by her daughter, Wynter Finley, to The New York Times.

Kitaen’s acting credits included 1984 films Bachelor Party and Gwendoline and numerous television credits including Santa Barbara, The New WKRP in Cincinnati, Eek! The Cat, Hercules: The Legendary Journeys and Moms Anonymous.

Kitaen’s fame reached new levels when she appeared in a number of popular music video starting with Ratt’s “Back for More” in 1984 and then a trilogy of videos for Whitesnake in 1987 which included “Still of the Night,” “Is This Love” and “Here I Go Again.”

Kitaen is survived by two daughters whom she had during her second marriage to MLB pitcher Chuck Finley, which lasted from 1997-2002. Her first marriage to Whitesnake frontman David Coverdale lasted from 1989-1991.

Coverdale, without mentioning her by name, tweeted the morning news of Kitaen’s death was confirmed, “Just woke up to some very sad, unexpected news…Waiting on confirmation…but, if it is true, my sincere condolences to her children, her family, friends & fans.” He then followed that tweet up by sharing the three classic Whitesnake music videos that featured Kitaen.

Tawny Kitaen: On the Red Carpet