Troubled actor Brad Renfro had suffered a relapse in his sobriety efforts shortly before he died.

The 25-year-old movie star was found dead by his girlfriend at his home in Los Angeles at around 9am on Tuesday morning (15Jan08).

A spokesman for the Los Angeles County coroner confirmed Renfro’s passing, saying: "He was found unresponsive in a residence. Paramedics responded and he was pronounced dead."

The cause of death has yet to be determined, but The Client star was known for his history of drug and alcohol abuse, and was reportedly out drinking with friends just hours before he passed away.

But his lawyer, Richard Kaplan, claims Renfro had tried desperately to resist the temptations of drugs and booze following a string of drug offenses, including attempted heroin possession.

He says, "He was working hard on his sobriety. He was doing well. He was a nice person." Renfro was accused of violating his probation for a second time after failing to enrol in a drug treatment programme, following his conviction for attempted possession of heroin last summer (07).

The former child star pleaded guilty to the charge of attempted possession in February 2006 after he was caught in a police sting in December 2005.