Andrew Koenig, Growing Pains Actor, Found Dead: "Took His Own Life," Says Father
Photo: Andrew Koenig.
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"My son took his own life," The actor's father, Walter Koenig, said in an emotional press conference. "He was obviously in a lot of pain."
Walter Koenig had previously said his son suffered from a lifelong depression, and that Andrew had said earlier that he had given away his belongings and had been off his medication.
Photo: Andrew Koenig's parents, shown at a press conference Feb. 25, 2010 in Vancouver.
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Police spokeswoman Jana McGuinness, speaking at a press conference at the park, said foul play was not involved, but said she could not be more specific because the coroner was taking over the investigation.
Andrew Koenig, 41, had a recurring role on the 1980s sitcom as Richard "Boner" Stabone, a pal of star Kirk Cameron's character, Mike. The native of Venice, California, hadn't been seen since Feb. 14, while visiting friends in Vancouver.
Photo: Andrew Koenig.
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He was supposed to return home two days later. His parents reported him missing Feb. 18, then asked the public for help finding him a few days later.
On Tuesday, Vancouver police and three search-and-rescue teams looked for any signs of Koenig throughout Stanley Park, which covers more than 1,000 acres. Friends and family decided to try again on their own Thursday and one of them found Koenig's body near a marsh in a heavily wooded area about 100 feet off the Bridle Path. McGuinness said the body could not be seen from the walking path.
The elder Koenig, who played Pavel Chekov on the original "Star Trek" TV series, was nearby when the body was found. Hours later, Koenig and his wife, Judith, issued a statement at a police station in the park.
Andrew Koenig also appeared in "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine," "My Two Dads," and "G.I. Joe," and the films "NonSeNse," "InAlienable" and "The Theory of Everything." His father has praised his son for his acting, film editing and directing work, and said he was also a busy environmental activist. He also was an advocate for refugees from Myanmar, formerly known as Burma.
In 2008, Koenig was arrested during the Rose Bowl parade in California while protesting China's support for Myanmar's military government.
He came to love Vancouver after shooting a TV episode there, and once lived there for three years.
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