Coroner rules ‘Glee’ actor Mark Salling’s death a suicide

UPDATE: 2/1/2018 4:00 p.m. A coroner’s official in Los Angeles says former “Glee” actor Mark Salling’s death has been ruled a suicide.

Los Angeles coroner’s spokesman Ed Winter said Thursday an autopsy determined that Salling died from asphyxia after hanging himself.

The 35-year-old’s body was found Tuesday in a riverbed area in northeast Los Angeles.

Salling’s death came a few weeks after he pleaded guilty in federal court to possession of child pornography. He was due to be sentenced in March and could have faced four to seven years in prison.

Prosecutors say a search of Salling’s computer found more than 50,000 images of child porn on Salling’s computer and a thumb drive.

He played bad-boy Noah “Puck” Puckerman on the long-running Fox series, which concluded in 2015.

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Mark Salling, one of the stars of the Fox musical comedy “Glee,” has died at age 35.

Salling’s lawyer, Michael J. Proctor, tells The Associated Press the actor died Tuesday. His death comes weeks before the actor was scheduled to be sentenced in federal court on child pornography charges.

Proctor did not reveal the cause of death.

Salling pleaded guilty in December to possession of child pornography. Prosecutors say a search of Salling’s computer found more than 50,000 images of child porn on Salling’s computer and a thumb drive.

He was scheduled to be sentenced March 7.

He played bad-boy Noah “Puck” Puckerman on the long-running show, which concluded in 2015.