Celebrity | Andy Griffith Andy Griffith Cause of Death Revealed Heart attack killed 86-year-old star By Rob Quinn Posted Jul 6, 2012 1:38 AM CDT Updated Jul 6, 2012 4:00 AM CDT Copied This Jan. 31, 1983 file photo shows Andy Griffith posing in Los Angeles to promote his film, "Murder in Coweta County." (AP Photo/Wally Fong, file) The death of Andy Griffith earlier this week was caused by a heart attack, according to a death certificate obtained by the AP. The 86-year-old actor suffered the attack 24 hours before his death, and he also suffered from illnesses including coronary artery disease and hypertension, the certificate states. Griffith, as per his wishes, was buried in his family cemetery in North Carolina within a few hours of his passing. Read These Next White House isn't happy about the pick for the Nobel Peace Prize. It started with failure to say 'thank you,' ended with murder. Multiple people are dead or missing after an explosion in Tennessee. Freak accident kills a woman as she cleans her car. Report an error