The 34-year-old model’s autopsy has been completed, but Los Angeles County officials are awaiting toxicology results before issuing a final determination.
LOS ANGELES — Model and swimwear designer Sahara Ray reportedly suffered a fentanyl overdose before her death at age 34, but the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner has not confirmed that account and has deferred an official cause of death while awaiting further testing.
Ray died Oct. 18 at a hospital surrounded by her family, according to a statement her relatives gave TMZ. A subsequent report cited by Page Six said she had overdosed on fentanyl days earlier, was taken to a Los Angeles hospital and placed on life support. That report has not been confirmed by the medical examiner or law enforcement, and it remains unknown whether fentanyl caused her death or, if drugs were involved, whether any overdose was accidental or intentional.
The uncertainty became clearer after the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner completed Ray’s autopsy. TMZ reported Oct. 23 that the office had deferred both the cause and manner of death while awaiting toxicology findings. The medical examiner’s office says a deferred case means additional testing or studies are needed before a final determination can be made.
Toxicology testing can take months in Los Angeles County. The Medical Examiner’s Office says results currently take an average of two to four months, although some cases take longer. Once testing is complete, a pathologist can determine or amend the official cause of death. That means the reported fentanyl overdose should not yet be treated as Ray’s confirmed cause of death.
Ray’s family initially announced her death through TMZ, saying she died at the hospital surrounded by loved ones. Her family did not identify a cause in that statement. Her mother, Gretchen Bach, later described her daughter in media reports as passionate and kind and said she loved her family, fashion, surfing and her young daughter.
Ray was an Australian-born model and fashion entrepreneur who built a sizable social media following and founded the swimwear label Sahara Ray Swim. She drew wider public attention in 2016 after she was photographed with singer Justin Bieber during a trip to Hawaii. She had also been romantically linked in media reports to Australian singer Cody Simpson.
Her death came only months after she became a mother. Ray welcomed her daughter, Snow, in January 2026 and later shared photos of the child on social media. Her final Instagram posts included images celebrating her daughter and her new life as a mother.
Ray had also publicly discussed a serious health crisis in 2024. She said she developed Guillain-Barré syndrome after a major car crash. The neurological disorder, in which the immune system attacks nerves, left her partially paralyzed and temporarily dependent on a wheelchair and walker. Available reports have not established that the condition contributed to her death.
Several outlets initially reported Ray’s death without a known cause. The later fentanyl report added a possible explanation but did not change the official status of the case. Because the medical examiner has deferred its determination, claims about the precise cause and manner of Ray’s death remain unconfirmed until toxicology and other requested testing are completed.
As of Oct. 24, the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner had not publicly issued a final cause or manner of death for Ray. The reported fentanyl overdose remains an attributed claim rather than an official finding, and a final determination is expected only after the medical examiner completes its additional testing.
Author note: Last updated October 24, 2026.