Elizabeth Pena Died From Complications of Alcohol Abuse

"La Bamba" actress Elizabeth Peña died of complications from alcohol abuse, including cirrhosis of the liver, according to the death certificate obtained by NBC News.

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Peña, 55, died at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles on Oct. 14 after going into cardiac arrest as a result of her condition, the certificate states. She also suffered from gastrointestinal bleeding in the hours before her death.

Peña's career spanned four decades and included roles in films like "Lone Star and "Rush Hour" and TV appearances in "L.A. Law," and "Resurrection Blvd." Most recently, Peña appeared on "Modern Family," where she played the mother of Sofia Vergara's character, Gloria, and played the mother of the title character on the El Rey Network drama "Matador."

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