More than a decade after the tragic death of Diff’rent Strokes star Gary Coleman, new controversy is surfacing—again. This time, it comes in the form of a failed lie detector test taken by his ex-wife, Shannon Price, who has always been side-eyed regarding the actor’s mysterious fall.
Coleman died in 2010 at the age of 42 after reportedly falling down the stairs at his Utah home and suffering a fatal head injury. His death was ruled accidental. But over the years, questions have lingered, questions that documentaries, social media, and fans have repeatedly raised.
Now, Price has attempted to put those rumors to rest by participating in A&E’s Lie Detector: Truth or Deception. She wanted to clear her name once and for all. As it turns out, it wasn’t exactly what she hoped for.
In a tense clip from the episode, former FBI agent and polygraph expert George Olivo delivers a harsh verdict: “I asked you the following relevant questions on this test. ‘Did you physically cause Gary’s fall?’ You answered, ‘No.’ I also asked you, ‘Did you physically cause Gary to fall that day?’ You answered, ‘No.’ And the results are—you failed that exam with deception indicated.”
Price remained calm, but dismissed the results as “false.” Still, Olivo didn’t hold back: “There’s more to this story that hasn’t been told.”
According to TMZ, Price also answered questions about whether she had ever hit Coleman or intentionally neglected to help him when he fell. Those results were deemed “inconclusive.”
In a statement provided to the outlet, Price pushed back against the whole experience. “We were extremely disappointed with the overall experience of both the polygraph testing and dealing with A&E. Many promises were made and not kept. The testing situation was unfair and very uncomfortable, and the testing was performed non-verbally, which I should have refused.”
She added that the network appeared more interested in drama than truth: “From the beginning, it was apparent they cared more about ratings than finding the truth.”
Price and Coleman’s relationship was complex to say the least, which many learned after watching the Gary documentary on Peacock.
The two married in 2007, divorced just a year later, but continued to live together. Price claimed she discovered Coleman in a pool of blood following his fall. Audio from the 911 call later revealed that she was hesitant to follow life-saving instructions from the dispatcher. Coleman was ultimately placed in a coma and taken off life support two days later. Price made that call as his health care proxy.
Despite the ongoing speculation and now a failed polygraph test, Price has never been charged with any wrongdoing in Coleman’s death.
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