Sage Stallone lived 'like a hermit'

Sage Stallone, who was found dead in his apartment on Friday, has been described as "out of it" in the months leading to his unexpected death.

Sage, the 36-year-old son of Sylvestor Stallone, was said to have been slurring and stumbling when he welcomed friend, Robert Rhine into his home for a photo shoot in May.

Rhine compares Sage's strange behaviour to Ozzy Osbourne's — he tried to take his own photos without removing the lens cap from his camera.

"What's troubling is the fact that the people around him claim there were no signs," Rhine says.

"I saw the signs. When everyone from the shoot heard the news, none of us were surprised."

When law enforcement arrived at Sage's home, his room was "disgusting", littered with cigarette butts and empty cans. According to TMZ, numerous pill bottles were also found.

That said, his attorney insists that speculation of drug abuse could not be further from the truth.

"I never knew him to drink alcohol," George Braunstein told E! News, just hours after Sage's body was discovered by his housekeeper.

"I think it was either natural causes or a terrible accident. I don't think it had anything to do with drugs, he wasn't that kind of guy. He wasn't anyone trying to take his life."

The autopsy is complete, but the results have been deferred pending a toxicology report, which can take up to six weeks.