The immediate cause of death for Star Trek alumnus Walter Koenig was revealed to be cardiopulmonary arrest, also known as sudden cardiac arrest.
According to the actor’s death certificate, first obtained by TMZ, chronic diastolic congestive heart failure was listed as an underlying cause and acute kidney failure was also listed as a condition that significantly contributed to his death at the age of 90 on Sunday.
The document also reveals that Koenig was cremated on October 30.
Hollywood Forever Cemetery — the same cemetery where Koenig’s late son, Andrew, was buried after his suicide in 2010 at the age of 41 — is listed as the television icon’s final disposition.
Koenig’s death was announced by his agency via a statement posted to Facebook Monday, saying he died “of old age at his home in North Hollywood” with his daughter, Danielle, and niece by his side.
The actor was best known for his character Pavel Chekov in the original “Star Trek” series, joining the series in season 2 and reprising the role in seven “Star Trek” films.
“Walter’s legacy extends far beyond the screen,” his agency’s statement said. “Through countless convention appearances and fan interactions, he shared his kindness, wit and appreciation with all who were fortunate enough to meet him.”
“He understood what ‘Star Trek’ meant to people and embraced the community that grew around him,” the statement continued.
Koenig was also honored by the only two remaining actors from “Star Trek: The Original Series” still alive today: William Shatner, who played Captain James T. Kirk, and George Takei, who played Hikaru Sulu.
Although he admitted that he and Koenig “didn’t know each other well outside of filming,” Shatner wrote that he observed someone who “really loved the ‘Star Trek’ community.”
“At conventions, Walter was rarely content to sit behind a signing table. He preferred to be among those who had kept Star Trek alive for so many decades,” he added. “This kind of authentic connection is rare and will be remembered by everyone who came into contact with him.”
Takei’s tribute noted that he and his husband, Brad, shared their wedding anniversary with Koenig’s birthday.
“Walter and I met on the deck of the Enterprise in the 1960s and remained friends for nearly six decades,” he wrote. “When Brad and I got married in 2008, Walter was by our side as our best man. Last month, on September 14, he turned 90, the same day Brad and I celebrated our 18th wedding anniversary. I will always cherish the fact that he and I shared that date.”
Takei added: “Walter was more than Chekov. He was a writer, a teacher, a caring man and a loyal friend. To the fans who loved him for so many years, thank you. He loved you too.”
Koenig shared his daughter Danielle and late son Andrew with his wife Judy Levitt. The two were married from 1965 until Levitt’s death at age 83 in 2022.
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