Michelle Trachtenberg’s BF Jay Cohen Was a ‘Support System’ for Her
Michelle Trachtenberg’s boyfriend, Jay Cohen, was a ‘support system’ for her amid her rumored health struggles before her shocking death at the age of 39.
Michelle Trachtenberg’s boyfriend, Jay Cohen, was always there for her amid her rumored health struggles before her death.
A source told Us Weekly that Jay was a “a huge support system” for Michelle before she died at the age of 39 on Wednesday, February 26.
“She was still together with her boyfriend, whom she spoke of highly and lovingly,” an additional insider added in an interview published on Thursday, February 27. “They seemed to have a wonderful relationship.”
Michelle and Jay’s romance was first revealed in October 2020 when Us Weekly reported that they had been in a relationship for more than one year at the time. After her romance with her rep at Gersh Agency made headlines, the Gossip Girl alum started featuring their relationship on her social media profiles.
Her last post that featured Jay was in honor on Valentine’s Day. “Happy Valentine’s Day to the man who sits still long enough for me to paint his face,” she wrote alongside a throwback photo of the duo dressed up as Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde on Halloween via Instagram.
Michelle was found dead in her New York City apartment on February 26, In Touch confirmed at the time.
“On Wednesday, February 26, 2025, at approximately 0801 hours, police responded to a 911 call of an aided individual at 1 Columbus Place, within the confines of the Midtown North Precinct,” a spokesperson for the Deputy Commissioner of Public Information for the New York Police Department said in a statement. “Upon arrival, officers observed a 39-year-old female unconscious and unresponsive. EMS responded to the location and pronounced the victim deceased.”
The victim was identified as Michelle soon after.
Her cause and manner of death were both officially listed as “undetermined,” the New York Medical Examiner’s office confirmed to In Touch on Thursday, February 27.
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The cause of death was listed that way after her family reportedly objected to an autopsy, according to the New York Post. The medical examiner’s office was “obligated to honor the family’s request due to the state’s public health law,” a source told the outlet, adding that only an external examination of the body could be completed.
Courtesy of Michelle Trachtenberg/Instagram
Several reports have emerged that Michelle recently underwent a liver transplant before her death, and it’s been speculated that complications from the surgery may have contributed to her passing. However, the theory has not been officially confirmed.
Michelle’s friend Amanda de Cadenet revealed that the Buffy the Vampire Slayer alum knew “death was a high possibility” during her final months. “Sweetheart Michelle. What sad news this morning to wake up to. It feels weird and awful to be posting this, but I want to acknowledge your death because I cared about you,” Amanda, 52, wrote in an Instagram tribute. “I will always remember you as the young vivacious woman I met when I took this photo of you …”
“Seeing your face from the hospital bed when we FaceTimed recently, even though you did not look like you, your sweetness and humor were still alive,” she continued in a since-deleted portion of the caption, which was shared by People. “I will not share the details of our conversations over the last six months. But you knew that death was a high possibility.”