Was Hulk Hogan murdered? No — records say a natural heart attack. But gaps in the paperwork fueled a storm of suspicion.

Hulk Hogan died of a heart attack, and police say there was no foul play. That’s the official version. So why are fans whispering about a cover-up? Because a loud radio host, a missing autopsy, and a fast-tracked cremation approval created a mystery that feels made for wrestling’s most dramatic heel turns.

The headline vs. the hard facts

• Verified: Hogan (71) died in Clearwater, Florida, on July 24, 2025. The medical examiner’s office listed the cause as acute myocardial infarction (heart attack) and the manner as natural. Sources: District Six ME releases reported by Spectrum News and NBC affiliates (spectrumlocalnews.com, nbcchicago.com).
• Verified: Clearwater Police say no signs of foul play were found; a standard death investigation was conducted, as is routine (abcactionnews.com).
• New medical context: Records noted Hogan had chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and atrial fibrillation — conditions that can increase cardiac risk (nbcchicago.com, abcnews.go.com).

The spark: “Someone killed Hulk Hogan,” claims a former friend

Bubba the Love Sponge — a one-time close friend of Hogan with a contentious history — took to his mic to declare, “Someone killed Hulk Hogan. That’s my opinion.” He argued the circumstances “make no sense,” mocked the paperwork, and even joked a doctor “could have written ‘run over by a unicorn’” and no one would have challenged it. These quotes come from Bubba’s broadcasts and are echoed by wrestling/entertainment sites, not mainstream outlets (sportskeeda.com, ringsidenews.com).

Here’s where the story gets messy — and interesting.

Autopsy, toxicology, and the cremation approval: what the records actually show

• What we can confirm: Major outlets cite the medical examiner’s documentation of a natural cardiac death and reference a cremation approval/report. In Florida, the medical examiner must approve any cremation. Approval can be granted without an ME autopsy if the death appears natural and a treating physician can certify the cause (abcnews.go.com, forensics.pinellas.gov).
• What’s implied, but not explicitly stated by officials: Coverage implies no autopsy was done before cremation approval. However, we have not yet seen a public document from the ME that flatly states “no autopsy/toxicology” in black and white in mainstream reporting (spectrumlocalnews.com, people.com).
• Conflicting reports on timing: Some outlets said the death certificate noted cremation; others reported a delay while questions were raised. Bottom line: cremation approval exists; the exact timing of cremation was reported inconsistently (goodmorningamerica.com, tmz.com, nypost.com).

The doctor’s signature: who certified the cause?

ABC News reports the cause of death was certified by Hogan’s primary care physician and cites cremation paperwork. The specific name circulating online — Dr. Gerald Joseph Fitzgerald Jr., a Largo, FL family physician — appears in documents shown on Bubba’s show and niche wrestling sites, but has not been independently confirmed by mainstream outlets’ scans. Treat that exact naming as plausible but not yet verified by primary public records (goodmorningamerica.com, fitztropicsfamilycare.com, healthgrades.com, ringsidenews.com).

Brooke Hogan’s questions — and what they mean

Hogan’s daughter, Brooke, did not attend the August 5 service and publicly asked why her father was cremated before an autopsy. She honored him privately and appeared on Bubba’s show that day. Importantly: she has not alleged murder; she’s asking for clarity on procedures (nbcnewyork.com, people.com, tmz.com).

“No official investigation”? That’s misleading.

Bubba has said there was “no official investigation.” Police say otherwise. Clearwater PD ran a standard death investigation and publicly reported no suspicious activity. That is an official inquiry — just not the dramatic kind that makes headlines (abcactionnews.com).

How this narrative caught fire

• In June, Bubba warned on-air that Hogan’s health was dire. Wrestling figures like Eric Bischoff pushed back, calling the rumors “bullsh*t” and citing recovery from neck surgery. That clash primed the audience to expect a twist — and when Hogan died, Bubba said he felt “vindicated” (sportskeeda.com, wrestlinginc.com, cagesideseats.com).
• Add in the pair’s toxic backstory — the 2012 sex-tape saga that destroyed their friendship — and you have motive for skepticism baked into the audience. Brooke has said an employee, not Bubba himself, leaked the tape, a claim reported recently but not independently corroborated beyond past court records (tmz.com).

What’s true, what’s not, and what’s still murky

• True and supported by authorities
  • Hogan died of a heart attack; manner of death is natural (spectrumlocalnews.com).
  • Police found no evidence of foul play (abcactionnews.com).
  • Cremation approval paperwork existed; Florida law allows approval without an ME autopsy in clear natural deaths (abcnews.go.com, forensics.pinellas.gov).
  • Brooke questioned the lack of an autopsy and skipped the funeral (people.com, nbcnewyork.com).
• Claims that rest on niche/entertainment sources
  • The certifying physician specifically being Dr. Gerald J. Fitzgerald Jr. (plausible, not widely confirmed by mainstream document scans) (ringsidenews.com).
  • Flat, explicit confirmation that “no autopsy/toxicology” occurred, as a formal ME statement. Reporting implies it; we haven’t seen the ME say it verbatim in documents shared by major outlets.
• Contradicted/misleading
  • “Hogan was murdered.” Authorities say no. The medical examiner calls it a natural heart attack; police found no foul play (nbcchicago.com, abcactionnews.com).
  • “No official investigation.” Police did conduct a standard one.

Why the “no autopsy” question matters — and what Florida allows

Think of Florida’s system like airport security with a fast lane. The medical examiner is the gate. If the death is clearly natural and a physician can certify it, the ME can approve cremation without running every bag through extra scanners (an autopsy). That’s legal — but emotionally unsatisfying for families who want every box checked. Brooke Hogan’s call for an autopsy reflects that tension.

Our reporting process

We cross‑checked Bubba’s on‑air claims against:

• Police statements and ME summaries reported by local TV news and national outlets.
• Florida ME policy pages for cremation authorization.
• Multiple media timelines on cremation status.
• Public reporting on Hogan’s medical history noted in the records.

Where Bubba’s claims depended on documents flashed on his show, we flagged them as “not yet verified by mainstream document scans.”

Bottom line

• Key finding: Hogan’s death is officially a natural heart attack, with police saying no foul play.
• Key correction: The idea that he was “killed” is an unsubstantiated opinion from a former friend and conflicts with available official records.
• Open questions: An autopsy appears not to have been performed before cremation approval, but we have not seen an official ME record published by major outlets that states “no autopsy/toxicology” verbatim. Conflicting reports remain on the exact cremation timing. The certifying physician’s name has been widely repeated but not yet confirmed via primary records in mainstream coverage.

If new public documents are released — including the full death certificate and cremation authorization from Pinellas County — they could settle the remaining uncertainties. Until then, the most reliable story is also the simplest: a 71‑year‑old with serious underlying conditions died of a heart attack, and authorities found no crime.