Joshua Goldman
Joshua Goldman
min read · July 10, 2025 · Entertainment

Shock Test: Did Gary Coleman's Ex-Play a Role in His Death?

Gary Coleman's ex-wife Shannon Price (pictured) is standing by her decision to take the Diff¿rent Strokes star off life support¿despite years of scrutiny and a failed lie detector test fueling fresh outrage

SCANDALOUS SECRETS REVEALED!

Shannon Price, the ex-wife of beloved TV icon Gary Coleman, has finally opened up about the shocking events surrounding his tragic death in 2010. In a bombshell episode of A&E's Lie Detector: Truth or Deception, Price confronts years of scrutiny and controversy head-on.

Coleman, best known for his iconic role as Arnold Jackson on Diff'rent Strokes, suffered a traumatic brain hemorrhage after falling at home. Just two days later, Price authorized doctors to remove life-sustaining treatment, sparking outrage among fans who claimed she had ignored Coleman's wishes to keep him alive for at least 15 days.

in A&E's Lie Detector: Truth or Deception, Price, 39, gets brutally candid about the controversial calll (Price and Coleman in 2008)

In the explosive new episode, Price sits down with former FBI agent George Olivo to take a lie detector test and clear her name from allegations of foul play. But in a stunning twist, the results label her answers "deceptive" - raising serious questions about her involvement in Coleman's death.

"I had no choice," Price insists, recounting the events surrounding Coleman's fall. "He had gone into cardiac arrest, and that is ultimately what took his life." When asked why she was so confident he wouldn't recover, she simply shrugs: "I just knew."

But Olivo isn't convinced, pressing Price to admit her role in rendering aid during the emergency. "As far as rendering aid, I could have helped him a little bit more," she concedes. But when questioned about intentionally withholding proper care, her answers remain inconclusive - and the polygraph test reveals deception.

'I had no choice,' she says in the special, per People . 'He had gone into cardiac arrest, and that is ultimately what took his life' (seen in 2008)

The most explosive moment comes when Olivo asks if Price physically caused Coleman's fall. She denies it, but the results indicate deception - sparking a heated exchange between the two.

"You failed the exam regarding Gary's fall," Olivo says bluntly. "There's something that caused you to fail this test... There is more to this story that hasn't been told."

Price insists she's at peace with the outcome and blames Olivo for relying on technology rather than intuition. But her controversial past with Coleman has left many questioning her motives.

When asked why she was so confident Coleman wouldn't recover, she simply said: 'I just knew' (seen in 2003)

The couple's tumultuous relationship was marked by domestic violence allegations, restraining orders, and even a secret divorce in 2008 - all while Coleman struggled with health issues and financial woes.

Coleman's friends have long accused Price of being involved in his death, citing her refusal to touch him as he lay bleeding after the fall. The 911 call she made that night only raised more eyebrows when the operator asked if she could touch him, and she replied, "No, I don't want to touch him."

In a shocking move, Price allegedly took a deathbed photo of Coleman and sold it - an act one friend called "depraved." The 911 call has long been a point of contention, with some claiming Price's inaction contributed to Coleman's demise.

The life support revelation comes on the heels of Shannon taking a lie detector test in the new docuseries¿her attempt to silence long-standing rumors that she played a role in Coleman¿s death

As the truth continues to unravel, fans are left wondering: what really happened to Gary Coleman? With Lie Detector: Truth or Deception premiering July 10 on A&E, it seems we'll never truly know.

Price denied ever 'striking' Coleman during their marriage, but the test results were inconclusive

Price and Coleman secretly divorced on August 12, 2008, using the pseudonyms ¿John Doe¿ and ¿Jane Doe¿ on the documents

Gary Coleman starred in Diff¿rent Strokes alongside Todd Bridges (pictured righ), Dana Plato, and Conrad Bain (pictured top), who played their wealthy adoptive father, creating one of TV¿s most iconic sitcom families