Thomas Kincade's girlfriend says he died while sleeping; and his wife says it was natural causes

LOS ANGELES TIMES

CALIFORNIA - Although the autopsy of painter Thomas Kinkade has been completed, the announcement of his cause of death may be weeks away, officials said Tuesday. The Santa Clara County Coroner's office performed an autopsy Monday, but is awaiting the results of several tests, including a toxicology screening, before deciding on the cause of death. Meanwhile, Amy Pinto, identified by the San Jose Mercury News as Kinkade's girlfriend, was at his home in Monte Sereno, an affluent enclave near Los Gatos in the Bay Area, and said the painter died in his sleep. Kinkade’s family attributed his death to natural causes, though the exact cause of death will be determined by the coroner. "We are shocked and saddened by his death," his wife, Nanette Kinkade, whom he had been separated from for more than a year, said in a statement. [link]