Martin Brief’s Daughter Katherine Brief Lifeless at 42: What We Know

Martin Brief’s daughter, Katherine Hartley Briefhas died at age 42. Her loss of life has been dominated a suicide.

A rep for Martin confirmed Katherine’s loss of life in an announcement to Us Weekly on Tuesday, February 24, 2026.

“It’s with profound grief that we affirm the passing of Katherine Hartley Brief. The Brief household is devastated by this loss and asks for privateness right now,” the assertion learn. “Katherine was beloved by all and will probably be remembered for the sunshine and pleasure she introduced into the world.”

Here’s what we find out about her passing, her life and the household she leaves behind:

Household Confirms Katherine Brief’s Dying

A rep for Martin Brief confirmed Katherine Brief’s loss of life in an announcement to Us on February 24, 2026.

“It’s with profound grief that we affirm the passing of Katherine Hartley Brief. The Brief household is devastated by this loss and asks for privateness right now,” the assertion learn. “Katherine was beloved by all and will probably be remembered for the sunshine and pleasure she introduced into the world.”

No additional particulars have been shared by the household on the time of the preliminary announcement.

Katherine was the one daughter of Martin and his late spouse, Nancy Dolman. Martin and Dolman, who died in 2010 after a battle with ovarian most cancers, adopted all three of their youngsters — Katherine and sons Oliver and Henry.

Katherine Brief’s Dying Dominated a Suicide

The Los Angeles Police Division confirmed to Us that officers responded to a radio name of a potential suicide try within the Hollywood Hills on Monday, February 23, 2026, at 6:43 p.m. native time. LAPD’s public info officer informed Us that officers responded to “the 2800 block of Westshire Drive. Officers discovered a deceased feminine on the location.”

The Los Angeles Medical Examiner’s Workplace later confirmed that Katherine Brief’s loss of life had been formally dominated a suicide.

Katherine Brief Left a Notice Earlier than Her Dying

TMZ reported on February 26, 2026, that Katherine was discovered “behind a locked door and with a observe close by.” Regulation enforcement sources informed the outlet that Katherine was discovered by a good friend after she hadn’t been heard from for twenty-four hours. The unnamed good friend was apparently fast to name the police.

In accordance with the 911 dispatch name, obtained by TMZ, the good friend who known as 911 was unable to enter the bed room.

Katherine Brief’s Life and Profession

Katherine Brief, who largely stayed out of the general public eye, obtained her bachelor’s diploma from New York College in 2006 and her grasp’s in social work from the College of Southern California in 2010. She labored as a licensed scientific social employee in Los Angeles and did part-time work on the Amae Well being clinic, the place she aided neighborhood outreach, household assist teams, peer assist and psychotherapy.

Katherin was additionally concerned with a nonprofit group known as Deliver Change to Thoughts, which is devoted to breaking stigmas surrounding psychological well being.

Whereas Katherine most popular to remain out of the highlight, she attended a handful of occasions along with her father, Martin Brief, through the years, together with the afterparty for The Producers in 2003 and the Self-importance Truthful Oscar Social gathering in 2011. She was the one daughter of Martin and his late spouse, Nancy Dolman, who died in 2010 after a battle with ovarian most cancers. The couple adopted all three of their youngsters — Katherine and sons Oliver and Henry.

A rep for Martin confirmed Katherine’s loss of life in an announcement to Us on February 24, 2026.

“It’s with profound grief that we affirm the passing of Katherine Hartley Brief. The Brief household is devastated by this loss and asks for privateness right now,” the assertion learn. “Katherine was beloved by all and will probably be remembered for the sunshine and pleasure she introduced into the world.”

Why Katherine Brief Modified Her Title

Katherine Brief filed to alter her identify to “Katherine Elizabeth Hartley” in October 2012, in line with courtroom paperwork obtained by Us.

“My father is a public determine. I’m a psychiatric social employee,” Katherine defined of her reasoning in courtroom paperwork. “I’m involved about potential harassment from future sufferers ensuing from my affiliation with my father.”

TMZ reported that her movement was granted in 2013, nearly 13 years earlier than her loss of life.

What Katherine Brief’s Neighbors Mentioned After Her Dying

Considered one of Katherine Brief’s neighbors solely informed Us that Katherine gave “no indication of wrestle” earlier than she died.

“Despair is commonly a silent and hidden killer,” the neighbor, who wished to stay nameless however shared they’d lived close to Katherine for over 10 years, shared.

“Katherine was a personal particular person however that doesn’t imply she wasn’t pleasant. She was fairly outgoing,” the neighbor famous, telling Us they’d generally “hear and see her laughing with buddies” on her entrance porch.

“She was a voracious reader and will discuss deeply in regards to the books she’d learn,” they added, noting that Katherine loved nonfiction literature. “She had the nicest, most stunning orange tree in her entrance yard. It was the envy of all of the neighbors. One way or the other, the bugs that affected our bushes didn’t land in hers.”

The neighbor additionally recalled Katherine being “festive,” adorning the skin of her house in “enjoyable and kooky methods for holidays.”

“She proudly hung her Canadian flag yearlong,” they added. Photographs of Katherine’s residence taken by photographers on February 24, 2026, confirmed a purple coronary heart wreath with pink flowers on her entrance door in honor of Valentine’s Day, the blossoming fruit hanging from her thriving orange tree and the Canadian flag waving above her storage.

A next-door neighbor solely informed Us that Katherine was a “nice neighbor and gardener.”

“It’s extremely unhappy,” the resident, who wished to stay nameless, mentioned of Katherine’s sudden passing.

“She was very good however it is a quiet neighborhood and to be truthful, we don’t see too many neighbors normally out,” a second neighbor mentioned of Katherine, noting she didn’t throw events, wasn’t loud and just about stored to herself.

At the very least two different neighbors remembered seeing Katherine on her entrance porch, the place she’d all the time wave and say hello as they walked by.

The Brief Household

Martin Brief adopted Katherine Brief along with his late spouse, Nancy Dolman, who died at age 58 in August 2010 after a battle with ovarian most cancers. The couple, who have been married for 30 years, additionally shared sons Oliver and Henry. Martin and Dolman adopted all three of their youngsters.

In a 2012 interview with The Guardianthe Solely Murders within the Constructing star mentioned it had “been a troublesome two years” for his youngsters following Dolman’s passing.

“That is the factor of life that we dwell in denial about, that it’ll ever occur to us or our family members, and when it does you achieve a bit of and also you undergo a bit of,” Martin mentioned on the time. “There’s no huge shock.”

In 2014, Martin mirrored on mourning his spouse’s loss along with his youngsters and family members.

“(Nancy) had as soon as mentioned to me, ‘I don’t desire a funeral, and I don’t desire a memorial. Throw a celebration, or not,’” Martin mentioned on The Meredith Vieira Present. “She simply was so irritated that she was dropping this battle, she didn’t need to give it some thought. So I simply adopted her needs. We went up, we had a celebration with about 30 shut family and friends. She was cremated. The youngsters and I went into a ship, we sprinkled the ashes into the water, and we jumped into the ashes.”

Martin informed AARP journal in 2019 that he nonetheless communicates with Dolman. “It’s, ‘Hey, Nan,’ you recognize? How would she react to this choice or that, particularly relating to our three children. I imagine that when folks die, they zoom into the those who love them,” he mentioned. “This concept that it simply ends, and don’t communicate of them — that’s fallacious. That’s primarily based on denial that we’re all going to die.”

“Our marriage was a triumph,” Martin informed the outlet. “To me, she’s nonetheless right here. On the similar time, her loss of life emboldened me to take dangers. With actual tragedy, you grow to be a bit of extra daring. It’s the yin to the yang: the constructive a part of life’s darkish facet.”

Martin Brief’s Upcoming Exhibits Postponed

Martin Brief postponed his comedy exhibits with Steve Martin within the wake of his daughter’s loss of life. The Pabst Theater Group and the Orpheum Theatre introduced by way of their web sites that the respective Wisconsin and Minnesota present dates can be rescheduled “on account of unexpected circumstances.”

The abstract factors above have been compiled with the assistance of AI instruments and edited by journalists. The complete story within the hyperlink at prime was reported, written and edited totally by journalists.