The Vivienne's death ruled misadventure after ketamine use
Coroner says the drag performer did not intend to take their own life
Popular drag queen performer The Vivienne's death was from misadventure after suffering cardio-respiratory arrest due to ketamine use, a coroner has ruled.
James Lee Williams, 32, was found in the bath by a neighbour at their home in Chorlton-by-Backford, Cheshire, on Sunday 5th January.
The last known contact with them was on the previous Friday evening, when their friend, Bobby Musker, told Warrington Coroner's Court it was evident the entertainer had taken ketamine.
The inquest into their death heard that five drug snap bags were found in the property, including in a bedroom drawer and a bathroom bin.
Although the performer had struggled with drugs in the past, Williams' family told the hearing they should not be remembered for their ketamine use and that drugs did not define the person they were.
Friends and family had no concerns about Williams' mental health, the hearing was told. The performer was looking forward to future TV and theatre roles, although did "occasionally" take ketamine.
Jacqueline Devonish, senior coroner for Cheshire, concluding the inquest, said: “The medical cause of death is cardio-respiratory arrest due to ketamine use.
“The conclusion, on the balance of probabilities, I’m satisfied that James Williams' death was a misadventure, they took ketamine but they did not intend to take their own life.”
Williams, who was born in St Asaph, North Wales, was the winner of the first series of RuPaul's Drag Race UK and years later admitted having been a drug addict.
An officer of the coroner’s court told media that Williams’ family would like the media to use “they/them” pronouns for their loved one.
The coroner said Williams had probably died in the bath on the Friday evening after taking ketamine, two days before their body was discovered by a neighbour.
She added: “However the toxicology results indicate that the concentration found in the post-mortem, despite two days having lapsed, was still fairly high, which suggests they may have reached a fatal level on the Friday. I would describe that concentration as acute.
“They made a name for themselves in the performing arts as a drag artiste, known as The Vivienne.
“They were very bold in the pursuit of all their dreams and used their platform to make a difference.”
The inquest heard medical records showed Williams had struggled with drug use in the past, including ketamine, cocaine and alcohol, but had stopped taking drugs for several years. Before their death, they did not routinely use ketamine.
At the time of their death, Williams was on a Christmas break from performing in Chitty-Chitty Bang Bang, which had finished in Blackpool on 30th December, with the tour set to resume in March.
Earlier, Bobby Musker described himself as Williams’ best friend, who he had known for 16 years, first working together as drag queens in Liverpool.
Mr Musker said he was aware his friend used ketamine, but that they had gone “years” without using the drug — only occasionally taking it.
He said: “I knew they were not sober. They didn’t want to be taking it. They weren’t taking it constantly.
“They struggled with their sobriety but really tried their hardest not to do it. It was not a constant thing.”
Mr Musker said he was the last to see Williams in a video call around 8.30pm on the Friday evening before their body was found.
He added: “I could tell when they were on it. They mentioned they had been to Liverpool in an Uber. I knew that they had been to get ketamine.”
Mr Musker said he understood Williams planned to get a takeaway and have a bath.
He later contacted neighbour Janine Godbold to check on Williams around lunchtime on Sunday after concern over the lack of contact.
Ms Godbold told the court she had become close friends with Williams after they moved to the village, becoming near neighbours.
She had keys to their home, Swallow Barn, and went with her son Ryan to check in.
Ms Godbold broke down in tears as she recalled finding Williams in the bath.
“They just looked like they were sleeping, I ran over to them and put my hand under their head,” she said.
“I kept hold of them, I kept talking to them.”
Paramedic Daniel Davies told the hearing he was called to the house but it was quickly apparent there was no pulse and no medical intervention could help.
Det Sgt Thomas Philpotts, from Cheshire Police, said he was called to the scene due to the “unusual” circumstances.
When officers searched the house, Mr Philpotts said “several” snap bags which he believed had contained drugs were found in the bathroom bin and a drawer.
He said he concluded there was nothing suspicious and no sign of third-party involvement, and that it was likely Williams died after a medical episode in the bath, possibly triggered by drug use.
Toxicologist Dr Kerry Taylor reported that tests showed a relatively high level of ketamine, though not at a level typically fatal. The drug can cause drowsiness, seizures and heart stimulation, and the levels may have dropped since death.
Pathologist Dr David Butterworth, who performed the post-mortem, found no evidence of drowning.
His report stated that ketamine could have contributed to toxicity and death, and the levels found post-mortem may have been lower than those present at the time of death.
Dr Butterworth concluded: “This person has died from the effects of cardio-respiratory arrest due to the use of ketamine.”
Williams’ father, Lee Williams, told the hearing: “They were just an outgoing character who was full of life, they just wanted to make people laugh.
“They achieved their goals. They had future goals they wanted to achieve. Along the way they always wanted to try to help their community, which they did, and try to help other drag queens.
“They were always available. They never turned anybody down. They never turned their back on anybody. They never said no.
“They loved the stage, that’s where they saw the rest of their career being, on the stage, in the theatre. That’s what they loved to do.