"Harry Potter" Actor Found Dead In Death Valley

David Legeno, who played Fenrir Greyback in the Harry Potter films, was found by hikers in the California desert on Sunday. He is thought to have died from the heat.

By
Robyn Wilder
by Robyn Wilder

BuzzFeed Staff, UK

The body of London-born actor David Legeno was found early on Sunday in Death Valley, Calif., and recovered by helicopter.

Flickr: revstan / Creative Commons

Two hikers reported finding Legeno's remains in an extremely remote area around 7 a.m. last Sunday, and a helicopter had to be used to retrieve them.

David Legeno played Fenrir Greyback in the last three Harry Potter films, and also appeared in Snow White and the Huntsman, Snatch, and Batman Begins.

Warner Bros.

Although the cause of death has not yet been established, the Inyo County coroner released a statement saying that Legeno probably died of the heat. He is survived by one daughter.

Before he took up acting, Legeno was a professional boxer and mixed martial arts fighter. Before his death he was scheduled to star in an upcoming film called Sword of Vengeance.

Daniel Berehulak / Getty Images

"He was a great talent with a heart of gold," Harry Potter actor Tom Felton said in Instagram tribute. "Dave was a soft, kind gentleman off screen but had the skill to be the complete opposite on screen. He taught me lots."

Here is Legeno talking about working on Harry Potter and Snow White and the Huntsman.

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