Nearly a year after his shocking death, the cause of death has been reported for actor Ray Liotta. The Goodfellas star died from heart and respiratory failure, according to Dominican Republic doctors.

The details were reported first by celebrity gossip site TMZ. The website said Liotta suffered acute heart failure, fluid in the lungs, known as pulmonary edema, and atherosclerosis, which is the hardening of the arteries from plaque build-up.

Liotta was in the middle of filming the movie Dangerous Waters when he died in the Dominican Republic last May.

Ray Liotta cause of death

The actor was previously reported to have died in his sleep. An autopsy report confirmed his death was "natural and non-violent."

The actor was probably dead for hours before his body was found.

"Judging by the post-mortem signs, at the time the body was removed and the autopsy was performed on May 26, 2022, at 03:22 p.m., death could have occurred approximately 8-10 hours earlier," the autopsy report said, according to CBS.

Atherosclerosis is a common condition that affects an estimated half of U.S. adults above the age of 45.

It is caused by the accumulation of fat and cholesterol in the arteries. As the disease progresses, it can lead to serious cardiovascular complications including heart attack and stroke.

Beloved actor

The 67-year-old Liotta was famous for his portrayal of wise guy Henry Hill in the classic Martin Scorsese crime movie Goodfellas.  

Later in his career, the actor won praise for his portrayal of a ruthless divorce lawyer in the Netflix movie Marriage Story. His last movies also include the Many Saints of Newark, a prequel to the drama series The Sopranos, No Sudden Move, and Cocaine Bear, released after his death.

He is survived by his fiancée Jacy Nittolo and a daughter from a previous marriage, Karsen.

Liotta was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in February. His daughter said a few words in his honor.

“I’m so touched to be accepting this honor on behalf of my dad. I couldn’t be more proud of him,” she said. "He was a one-of-a-kind actor and the best friend, brother and father anyone could have asked for. I lucked out with you."