Actress Mary Mara Dies After Drowning In New York River, 'ER' And 'Law And Order' Star Was 61

Actress Mary Mara, best known for her roles in 'ER', 'Law & Order,' and ‘Ray Donovan,’ was found dead in the St. Lawrence River in Cape Vincent, New York on Sunday morning, June 26.

The preliminary investigation showed no signs of foul play and suggests that Mara drowned while swimming, New York State Police said in a statement.

Officers were responding to a call for a possible drowning in the river at around 8 a.m. when they found her body in the water. She was 61.

Her body was transported to the Jefferson County Medical Examiner's Office, where an autopsy will determine an official cause of death.

At the time of her death, Mara was living at her sister Martha’s summer home near the St. Lawrence River.

“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," her manager, Craig Dorfman, said in a statement to Variety.

Born Sept. 21, 1960, in Syracuse, N.Y., Mara attended San Francisco State University and Yale School of Drama

She made her acting debut in the 1989 television movie, ‘The Preppie Murder’.

Her television credits include roles on E.R., Law & Order, Ray Donovan, Lost, Nash Bridges, The Practice, Shameless, Gideon’s Crossing, Nip/Tuck, Dexter, and Star Trek: Enterprise.

She also appeared in guest roles in Hope & Gloria, NYPD Blue, Criminal Minds, Bones, Joan of Arcadia, Ally McBeal, Judging Amy, 7th Heaven, Monk, and The West Wing.

Mara made her film debut in 1992 with 'Love Potion No. 9.' In the same year, she appeared as Billy Crystal's daughter in 'Mr. Saturday Night.'

Mara is survived by her stepdaughter Katie Mersola, sisters Martha Mara and Susan Dailey, nephew Christopher Dailey and brother-in-law Scott Dailey.

Mara’s last onscreen appearance was in the 2020 film Break Even.

"She specialized in complex portrayals of often-troubled characters; perhaps the most familiar was her recurring role in the 1990s of Loretta Sweet, a sympathetic, down-and-out prostitute and single mother on the NBC series, 'ER,'" reads her obituary, People reports.