Darius’s grieving family could face TWO-MONTH delay to find his cause of death as probe continues

The family of Scots Pop Idol contestant Darius Campbell Danesh could face an agonising two-month wait to find out the cause of his death.

The West End star was found unresponsive in a US apartment opposite the Mayo Clinic specialist treatment centre on August 11.

His death, at the age of 41, was announced by his family on Tuesday, but the cause remains unknown and it is unclear if he was being treated at the medical facility in Rochester, Minnesota.

Local police in Rochester said there were ‘no signs of intent or suspicious circumstances’ and are awaiting toxicology results which could take up to two months. Campbell Danesh, from Glasgow, was living at the Berkman apartments, a two-year-old building over seven floors.

It is described as Rochester’s ‘premier address for elegant short-term and long-term furnished suites and residential living’. The majority of those who live in the apartment block, which has around 270 long-term rentals and 75 short-term or nightly rentals, either work or are treated at the Mayo Clinic’s Saint Marys Campus.

The medical facility, which opened in 1889, has 70 operating rooms, ten intensive care units and 1,265 beds and specialises in cardiac treatment, transplants, psychiatry, neurosurgery and rehabilitation.

A police spokesman said: ‘The investigation into the cause of his death is still pending. There is no known threat to the public.’ 

A heartbreaking police dispatch call revealed the moment the star was found unresponsive in the apartment block.

Rochester Police Department said it responded to a ‘deceased person call’ at 11.53am on August 11 at The Berkman, and the Southern Minnesota Regional Medical Examiner’s Office identified the person as Darius.

According to reports, a dispatch call was placed when a ‘medical’ team was requested for a ‘possible deceased’ person. 

Another call was allegedly made minutes later from an operator saying: ‘No need for them to respond. We’ll be waiting for RPD [Rochester Police Department] to arrive on the scene. We’ll secure the residence.’  

Darius was thought to have been just weeks away from a reunion tour with his former Pop Idol co-stars, with sources close to him claiming that he had been hugely ‘excited’ for the homecoming and UK comeback trip.

Stars of the show from across the world, including Queen singer and American Idol winner Adam Lambert, were due to be invited back with Thames TV filming at the Criterion Theatre in London’s West End, reported The Sun.

Police have said there were ‘no signs of intent or suspicious circumstances’ as of yet while they await toxicology reports. Darius lived in the US and had been in a relationship with Canadian actress Natasha Henstridge. 

The couple married in 2011 at the San Ysidro Ranch in Santa Barbara, California, but had since divorced. His former wife wrote in a statement yesterday: ‘There are no words Darius… only Love Love Love. Forever Janam.’

A statement from Campbell Danesh’s family read: ‘It is with great sadness we announce the passing of Darius Campbell Danesh.

‘Darius was found unresponsive in bed in his apartment room on August 11 and was pronounced dead in the afternoon by the medical examiners’ office.

‘The local police department have confirmed that there were no signs of intent or suspicious circumstances. The cause of his sudden death is unknown at this stage while medical examinations continue.

‘We ask that you respect our wishes for privacy at this time whilst we come to terms with the tragic loss of our son and brother.’

One of the last pictures of Campbell Danesh in public was on June 11 as he walked a dog with his friend and fellow Scot, the actor Gerard Butler, in Malibu.

He is said to have been weeks away from a reunion tour with his former Pop Idol co-stars which he was hugely ‘excited’ about.

Tributes poured in from across the entertainment world, with Pete Waterman, who first met Campbell Danesh as a judge on Pop Idol, describing him as ‘the perfect person’.

‘The word gentleman is overused but not in Darius’ case,’ he told Good Morning Britain yesterday.

‘So quiet, so polite, so gentle, I guess he was the perfect person. So gentle. No cross words. He didn’t get angry. Darius wanted to do too much. He had too much talent. Darius could have gone on to be bigger than Michael Bublé.’

Simon Cowell, 63, led the tributes to the late singer he first met in 2002 when he finished in third place on Pop Idol. 

The music mogul released a statement honouring the star who passed exactly 20 years after he topped the charts with his critically-acclaimed single Colourblind.

Darius famously turned down a record deal from Cowell but the two have remained friendly over the years and reunited at an X Factor party and recording. 

It was also revealed that the late star recently visited Simon’s home in Malibu for the evening to attend the party and judges’ homes filming.

Cowell told MailOnline: ‘I first saw Darius on television over 20 years ago and I got to know him really well. He was charismatic, funny and just a great person to be with.

‘His passing, for someone so young, is an absolute tragedy and my heart goes out to his family and friends.’