Michael Jackson’s death has officially been ruled as homicide by the Los Angeles Coroner's office.

In a brief statement, the coroner said the singer died from an "acute propofol intoxication".

The sedative Lorazepam and four other drugs were also discovered in Jackson’s body.

The findings are expected to bring into question Jackson’s relationship with a series of doctors, including Dr Conrad Murray, who has already been questioned by police.

Dr Murray, who is not being treated as a suspect, was with Jackson on the day – June 25 – he died.

Earlier this week, a court affidavit revealed Jackson had lethal levels of the powerful anaesthetic propofol in his body when he died.

The documents also revealed that Dr Murray told police he had been giving the singer the drug for six weeks to treat insomnia.

But the doctor, who was hired ahead of the star’s ill-fated comeback shows, apparently said he feared Jackson was developing an addiction to the substance and tried to wean him off it.

Jackson, who was 50 when he died, is due to be buried on September 3.

(by Jason Gregory)