Julia Roberts’ half sister’s death: Sibling left notes, officials say

Julia Roberts’ younger half sister, Nancy Motes, who was found dead in a bathtub in what was reported to the coroner’s office as a suicide, left behind several pages of notes, officials said.

Ed Winter, deputy chief of the L.A. County coroner’s office, when asked about a suicide note, confirmed investigators discovered “several written notes.” They were not releasing any of its contents, he said.

The case was reported to the coroner’s office as a suicide, according to coroner’s office Chief Craig Harvey. Prescription and nonprescription medications were taken from the North Bundy Drive death scene as evidence, according to officials.

Los Angeles police said there is no evidence of foul play. Law enforcement officials, who spoke to The Times on the condition of anonymity, said some type of drug overdose might have been involved.

Motes, 37, was found by a friend at a home on North Bundy Drive about 2 p.m. Sunday, according to police.

Roberts, 46, nominated for a supporting actress Oscar for “August: Osage County,” bowed out of Monday’s Academy Awards nominees luncheon to be with family, her representative told E! News.

In a statement to People magazine, the family confirmed Motes was found dead “of an apparent drug overdose.”

“The family is both shocked and devastated,” the statement read.

[email protected]

Twitter: @lacrimes| Google+