An autopsy won’t be performed on James Van Der Beek following his death.
The Travis County Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed to Us Weekly that no report will be written up after Van Der Beek’s death at age 48. The actor battled stage III colorectal cancer in the months leading up to his death.
Van Der Beek revealed in November 2024 that he was undergoing treatment.
“I’ve been privately dealing with this diagnosis and have been taking steps to resolve it, with the support of my incredible family,” he wrote via Instagram at the time. “There’s reason for optimism, and I’m feeling good.”
Before his death, Van Der Beek shared an update on his cancer battle.
“I feel a little bit better every month. It’s required more of me — more patience, more discipline. More strength than I knew I had. I knew I was strong, I didn’t know I was this strong,” he said on the Today show in December 2025. “I don’t think I knew what it was to slow down before … to really look at everything I eat, everything I put in my body.”
Keep scrolling for a breakdown of Van Der Beek’s cause of death — and why it won’t be addressed in an autopsy report.
Why Will There Be No Autopsy Report on James Van Der Beek?
Since James Van Der Beek was previously diagnosed with cancer, an autopsy isn’t required. An autopsy is mandated by a medical examiner or a coroner to determine the cause and manner of death. In the event that a death isn’t sudden or suspicious, families can opt out of it — unless it is legally mandated by authorities.
What Has James Van Der Beek’s Family Said About His Sudden Death?
James Van Der Beek was pronounced dead early in the morning on Wednesday, February 11, when it was called into the medical examiner’s office by a medical professional.
“Our beloved James David Van Der Beek passed peacefully this morning,” read a statement from Van Der Beek’s wife, Kimberly Van Der Beek. “He met his final days with courage, faith, and grace.”
Kimberly, 43, who shared kids Olivia, 14, Joshua, 13, Annabel, 11, Emilia, 8, Gwendolyn, 6, and Jeremiah, 3, with Van Der Beek, reflected on her husband’s death, adding, “There is much to share regarding his wishes, love for humanity and the sacredness of time. Those days will come. For now we ask for peaceful privacy as we grieve our loving husband, father, son, brother, and friend.”
What Is Colorectal Cancer?
Colorectal cancer is a cancer that starts in the colon or the rectum and is detected through regular screening such as colonoscopies. Symptoms include changes in bowel habits, rectal bleeding, abdominal pain and unexplained weight loss.
“Each year, approximately 2 billion people around the world receive this diagnosis. And I’m one of them,” James Van Der Beek previously shared in an Instagram post.
How Did James Van Der Beek Address His Cancer Battle Before His Death?
James Van Der Beek told People in November 2024 that a colonoscopy one year prior led to his diagnosis, saying, “As I was coming out of the haze, the gastroenterologist said in his most pleasant bedside manner, ‘It is cancer.’ And I think I went into shock a little bit.”
Van Der Beek compared having cancer to having a “full-time job” due to the need to schedule appointments, keep track of test results and deal with insurance.
“I really didn’t feel like this was gonna end me. I really felt like, ‘This is gonna be the biggest life redirect. I’m gonna make changes that I never would have made otherwise that I’m gonna look back on in a year, five years, 30 years from now and say, ‘Thank God that happened,’” he added. “And that’s how I was about 90 percent of the time. And then, 10 percent of the time, I was a sobbing, terrified mess.”
When Was James Van Der Beek’s Final Appearance Before His Death?
After skipping the live reading of the Dawson’s Creek pilot in September 2025 at the Richard Rodgers Theatre in New York City, James Van Der Beek made a virtual appearance in a prerecorded message that had some concerned about his weight loss.
“I’d lost so much weight because of the stomach virus,” he said on Today one month later about how his appearance change was “not cancer-related,” adding, “Although with cancer, everything’s like, ‘Why don’t we supersize that stomach virus?’”
