TK Carter's cause of death was made public on Thursday, nearly a month after the actor's body was discovered at his home in Duarte, California.
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The authorities found him dead at the age of 69 on January 9, after being contacted by his family to conduct a welfare check, law enforcement sources said.
The relatives had gone days without hearing from Carter, who they told authorities was suffering from high blood pressure.
His brother Harold revealed shortly thereafter that Carter had been battling diabetes, ongoing heart problems and various other ailments in the preceding months.
Now the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner has officially confirmed systolic heart failure as the cause of death, according to TMZ.
Pulmonary hypertension and atrial fibrillation were listed as contributing factors in the demise of the actor, who starred in John Carpenter's 1982 horror classic The Thing.
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TK Carter's cause of death was made public on Thursday, nearly a month after the actor's body was discovered at his home in Duarte, California; pictured 2005
Last month, his brother Harold claimed Carter was found beside a marble table and after seemingly incurring a head injury.
Carter was found alone and exactly how long he had been at the residence is not known. His personal doctor agreed to be the one to sign the death certificate.
The police arrived at Carter's home early last month in response to the welfare check and were met by his family at the residence, according to TMZ. His body was found in the home by authorities.
'My brother was a very uplifting person, always funny. He was a good person. We miss him, he had a lot of friends and family. We will always cherish him. He had a relationship with God and his faith was very important to him,' Harold told said.
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TMZ previously reported that authorities received a call for service at around 5:42PM and he was then found passed. There is no indication of foul play.
Carter’s career spanned several decades, beginning in the mid-1970s, with memorable performances in films such as The Thing (1982), Runaway Train (1985), Space Jam (1996), and Domino (2005).
He also appeared on television, including recurring roles as Mike Fulton on Punky Brewster in the 1980s and T-Bone on The Steve Harvey Show in the 1990s.
The versatile actor also starred in the 2000 miniseries The Corner, which he later reflected on in August 2025, revealing on Live from the Green Room that he initially struggled to even get an audition until a friend connected him with their manager.
He continued acting in recent years, appearing in three episodes of The Company You Keep and five episodes of Lil Dicky’s Dave in 2023.
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News of his passing sparked an outpouring of tributes online.
Authorities discovered Carter’s body Friday at his home in Duarte, California, following a welfare check; (pictured in 1983's Just Our Luck)
Carter starred alongside Kurt Russell in The Thing
The Thing, released in 1982 and directed by John Carpenter, has become a cult horror classic
One fan wrote on X, 'Was a huge fan of his… sad to hear,' while another added, 'Rest in peace T-Bone.'
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Beyond the roles already mentioned, Carter’s career included a wide range of both comedic and dramatic performances.
He appeared in early films like Corvette Summer (1978) and Seems Like Old Times (1980), steadily building a reputation as a versatile character actor.
In the late 1980s and early 1990s, he took on comedic turns in films such as Ski Patrol (1990) and Leapin’ Leprechauns (1995), while also lending his voice to animated projects, most notably as Monstar Nawt in Space Jam (1996).
Carter, Willie Norwood, Sinbad, Salma Hayek and Erin Davis in 1993's The Sinbad Show
In the late 1980s and early 1990s, he took on comedic turns in films such as Ski Patrol (1990) and Leapin’ Leprechauns (1995), while also lending his voice to animated projects, most notably as Monstar Nawt in Space Jam (1996)
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On television, he appeared in guest and recurring roles on series including The Sinbad Show, A Different World, and Good Morning, Miss Bliss.
His dramatic work included portraying Gary McCullough in HBO’s The Corner (2000), which earned praise for its unflinching portrayal of life in Baltimore’s drug‑plagued neighborhoods.
He remained active late into his career with roles in both film and streaming series, demonstrating his range across genres and formats until his final appearances in 2023.