Syracuse Actress Mary Mara Drowns at 61

New York State Police have reported that actress and Syracuse native Mary Mara died sometime prior to Sunday morning in a possible drowning in Cape Vincent, NY.

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The 61-year-old Mara was found deceased in the St. Lawrence River when police, fire and ambulance arrived on the scene early on Sunday morning. Mara's manager confirmed to Variety that she had, in fact, died.

The Syracuse native was best known for her recurring role as Loretta Sweet on "ER" and her guest appearances on shows like "NYPD Blue" and "Law and Order." She is credited with over 80 appearances during her acting career and in 2003 won the Angel Film Award for Best Second Supporting Actress for her role in "Em and Me." Most recently, she appeared in 2020 as Molly in "Break Even."

No official cause of death has been announced, but the initial investigation suggests she drowned in the river. New York State Police noted that there were no signs of foul play to this point. According to a report from Wilson Chapman of Variety, Mara's body was sent to the Jefferson County Medical Examiner's Office to undergo an autopsy to determine the official cause of death.

In that report, Mara's manager Craig Dorfman stated that "Mary was one of the finest actresses I ever met. I still remember seeing her onstage in 1992 in 'Mad Forest' off Broadway. She was electric, funny and a true individual. Everyone loved her. She will be missed."

At this time, no additional details have been released and the police investigation is still ongoing.