Vinnie Paul died of natural causes, according to the Clark County Coroner.

The findings were disclosed in the death of the Pantera drummer, who died in his sleep in his Las Vegas house on June 22 at the age of 54. TMZ reports that the official cause of death was "dilated cardiomyopathy," the official term for an enlarged heart.

Paul, the autopsy said, also suffered from "severe coronary artery disease."

His body will now be flown to Texas, where Paul will be buried with his brother, "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott, and their mother in Arlington. Like his sibling, Paul will be laid to rest in a Kiss Kasket, a gift from the band.

Darrell was killed onstage in 2004 during a gig with Damageplan, the band the Abbott brothers formed after the breakup of Pantera. Darrell was buried in the original prototype for the casket, which was introduced in 2001 and sold for $3,300 until it was discontinued in 2008. A second model was announced in 2011. "He requested in his will to be buried in a Kiss Kasket, as he sort of learned his rock ‘n’ roll roots by listening to us, for some strange reason,” Gene Simmons said in 2010.

Paul's estate will be split between his best friend Charles Jones (38 percent), his girlfriend Chelsea Yeager (37 percent), his tour manager (10 percent), drum technician (five percent), producer (five percent) and another friend (five percent). The portion of the estate he inherited from Darrell will go to Darrell's girlfriend, Rita Haney.

 

 

Top 50 Metal Albums 

More From 100.7 KOOL FM